Easter Monday marred by two drownings

TWO separate Easter Monday drownings have ended what was a tragic long weekend on NSW beaches, Surf Life Saving NSW said.

A man, believed to be a 59-year-old British tourist, drowned at Cronulla in Sydney's south, police said.

He was pulled from the surf by lifesavers today after he and his wife were reported missing by their grandchild after 6pm (AEST).

Lifesavers were able to rescue the man's wife from the water, but the man was found unconscious and not breathing, Surf Life Saving NSW said.

Meanwhile, a 36-year-old man drowned while swimming one kilometre north of the flagged area at Mollymook on the NSW south coast about 1pm.

An off-duty police officer went to the man's aid as lifesavers were called to help.

The man was retrieved from the water and attempts were made to revive him before paramedics arrived.

He was one of three people to drown in NSW coastal waters over the Easter break.

The latest incidents come after a man drowned in rough seas on the NSW south coast yesterday.

Emergency services were called to Fisherman's Beach, Port Kembla, about 8.30pm, after reports a man had been swept into the water.

Two policemen entered the rough surf after torchlight was spotted in the water from a rescue helicopter.

The 43-year-old Yagoona man was winched out of the sea but died on the shore, despite attempts to revive him, police said.

The two policemen were stranded in the water for almost an hour before they were winched to safety and taken by ambulance to Wollongong Hospital.

They are expected to make a full recovery.

Police are investigating the incident and a report will be prepared for the coroner.

Surf Life Saving NSW manager of lifesaving, Dean Storey, said the drowning toll was a tragic reminder for people to heed water-safety warnings.

This weekend's tragedies take the total coastal drowning death toll in NSW to 26 since July 1, 2009, he said.

"The majority of these incidents could have been avoided by swimming between the red and yellow flags at patrolled beaches," Mr Storey said.

Update on Tuesday, April 6, 2010 at 10:30AM by Admin

NSW Police Media Release

Police are preparing reports for the Coroner following two separate drowning incidents.

About 1.30pm today (Monday 5 April 2010), a family of five went swimming at an area called The Reef near Mollymook Beach on the state’s South Coast.

The 36-year-old man and his 12-year-old son became caught in a rip; the boy managed to swim to shore, however, the man disappeared.

He was located a short time later by surf lifesavers and brought to shore where attempts were made to resuscitate him.

The Kingsford man was taken by ambulance officers to Milton Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

In a separate incident, a 59-year-old male tourist from Great Britain died after being rescued from surf at Elouera Beach, near Cronulla in Sydney’s south, about 6.45pm.

Lifesavers and paramedics attempted to resuscitate the man without success.

A 15-year-old boy was taken to Sutherland Hospital for treatment for hypothermia and shock. It’s believed he is from the same family group, however, it’s unknown if he, too, is a visitor to Australia.