On Friday, December 27, 2024, at around noon, emergency services were called to North Avoca beach following reports of a body found in the water. New South Wales Police confirmed that the body is believed to be that of the missing 15-year-old boy, Luca Bennett.
On Christmas Eve at approximately 3pm a large-scale search operation was launched after reports that a teenage boy had gone missing in the water. Luca was one of three teens swept off the rocks by a wave, but while his two mates managed to scramble back to safety, he wasn’t as fortunate.
Following the incident, NSW Police initiated a large-scale search operation involving officers from Brisbane Water Police District, Marine Area Command, NSW Ambulance, Surf Life Saving NSW, Central Coast Council Lifeguards, and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter. Despite extensive efforts, including searches on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, no sign of Luca was found.
On Thursday, December 26, police announced that they were transitioning into a “recovery phase”, based on expert advice, per The Guardian. Luca’s parents, Michelle and Jason, expressed their gratitude to the rescue crews and the community for their support during this difficult time.
On Friday afternoon, emergency services were called to North Avoca Beach around noon after reports of a body located in the water. NSW Police confirmed that it is believed to be Luca.
In a Facebook post, Michelle Bennett shared the news: “Our beautiful Luca J has been found. Dolphins were circling Nth Avoca rocks since 5am this morning. The ocean lifted him up onto the rocks.”
She expressed immense gratitude for the efforts of the search teams and the community during this tragic ordeal.
Local councillor Jared Wright described the loss as “deeply saddening” and commended the community’s response, noting that a fundraiser for Luca’s family had already raised over $80,000. He remarked, “A life lost this young is always tragic.”
Luca’s basketball team, the Central Coast Rebels, paid tribute to him in a statement calling him “one of our own” and “a baller”. They highlighted his role as a proud Indigenous athlete with a “cheeky twinkle in his eye and a boisterous laugh”, always ready for a hug, per 9 News.
As of Friday afternoon, an operation was ongoing to recover Luca’s body from the water. NSW Police stated that a report will be prepared for the coroner.
Lead image: Instagram
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