A man died on Sunday after being swept off stones near Sydney, pushing the Easter weekend drowning burden in Australia to six, with two more also missing as large waves continued to batter the land ’s southeast coast.
Crisis services were called to Wattamolla Beach, west of Sydney, where two individuals had been dragged into the sea while hunting. A rescue helicopter winched both out of the liquid, but one could hardly been revived, New South Wales Police said. The victim, a 14-year-old son, was taken to hospital in stable condition.
This latest tragedy adds to a terrible holiday weekend marked by a series of maritime calamities. Since Great Friday, hazardous surf has led to the deaths of three people in New South Wales, one person near Melbourne, and another man in southwestern NSW on Saturday. Authorities are also searching for two missing persons—one off Sydney’s beach and another close Melbourne.
The deadly wave activity came despite warnings from Surf Life Saving Australia ( SLSA ), which had alerted beachgoers on Thursday to hazardous surf conditions in New South Wales and Victoria, driven by swells up to 3. 5 feet ( 11. 5 foot ) in some places.
“We know that Aussies and customers to our country like to go off the beaten track to enjoy camping, fishing and other southern activities, ” said Adam Weir, CEO of SLSA. “ But these seaside locations may provide dangers—some you can see and some you can’t. That’s why we have easy advice: Cease, Look, Keep Alive. ”
According to SLSA, 630 people have died at uninhabited beaches in the past century, underscoring the dangers of venturing into unmonitored southern regions. The company has urged the people to float just at guarded beaches and stay clear of rocks during harsh conditions.
Officials are continuing search and rescue operations as big waves remain forecast through Monday.
