A fisherman died on Sunday after being swept off rocks near Sydney, pushing the Easter weekend drowning toll in Australia to six, with two more still missing as massive swells continued to batter the country’s eastern coast.
Emergency services were called to Wattamolla Beach, south of Sydney, where two people had been dragged into the surf while fishing. A rescue helicopter winched both out of the water, but one could not be revived, New South Wales Police said. The survivor, a 14-year-old boy, was taken to hospital in stable condition.
This latest incident adds to a grim holiday weekend marked by a string of coastal tragedies. Since Good Friday, dangerous surf has led to the deaths of three people in New South Wales, one woman near Melbourne, and another fisherman in southern NSW on Saturday. Authorities are still searching for two missing persons—one off Sydney’s coast and another near 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 metres (11.5 feet) in some areas.
“We know that Aussies and visitors to our country like to go off the beaten track to enjoy camping, fishing and other coastal activities,” said Adam Weir, CEO of SLSA. “But these coastal locations can present dangers—some you can see and some you can’t. That’s why we have simple advice: Stop, Look, Stay Alive.”
According to SLSA, 630 people have died at unpatrolled beaches in the past decade, underscoring the risks of venturing into unmonitored coastal zones. The organisation has urged the public to swim only at patrolled beaches and stay clear of rocks during rough conditions.
Authorities are continuing search and rescue operations as large swells remain forecast through Monday.
