Wild surf conditions have battered beaches on Australia’s east coast, with hazardous conditions killing five people across the country over the Easter long weekend.
In NSW, four people drowned and another was missing, after ex-Tropical Cyclone Tam generated massive waves across the NSW coast.
On Saturday at about 8.15am, two men were washed off the rocks in Kianinny Bay, near Tathra, with emergency responders finding one conscious and breathing, but the other deceased, Life Saving NSW manager Brent Manieri said.
“Both were rock fishing at the time of being washed in, but we’re unaware at this point in time whether they had lifejackets on or not,” Manieri said.
On Friday in Wollongong, a 58-year-old fisher was swept off the break wall at about 6 am, with emergency services unable to revive him.
Another man, who lifesavers believed had fallen off the rocks into the water at Middle Head Point in Sydney harbour, also drowned, and a third drowning was recorded at Green Cape on the state’s far south coast in the afternoon.
A search was continuing on Saturday for a swimmer off Little Bay Beach in Sydney’s South after someone was seen struggling in the swell just after 1 pm on Friday.
While the swell peaked in the late morning and early afternoon on Friday, a hazardous surf warning remained in place for the whole NSW coastline on Saturday.
Manieri warned swimmers across the coast to heed warnings, observe conditions and swim at patrolled beaches.
“All these drownings could have been preventable if people had taken the time to observe conditions,” he said. “And ideally, had stayed away from the coastline whilst this swell impacted New South Wales.”
On Good Friday waves reached a height of 4.5-5.5 metres along some parts of the coast with large swells still being recorded into Saturday afternoon, the Bureau of Meteorology’s Helen Reid said.
“From Byron towards Eden, including Sydney, the waves are sitting in between 2.5-3 metres, which is significant wave height,” Reid said.
“We’re looking at a fairly long period for the swell, about 13 and a half to 14 seconds. So a very powerful swell coming through.”
Videos posted to social media showed people putting themselves in dangerous conditions, with one man seen walking into rocks at Dee Why Point before being hit by a huge wave.
“Why is he out there!?” one person commented.
Another video, titled “Catching the Dee Why Express”, showed a wave rolling down the beach platform, carrying a man along with it.
On Friday in Victoria a woman died and a man went missing after a group were swept off the rocks at a beach off Punch Bowl Road at San Remo.
“One of the women managed to make her way back to shore but the other woman and the man were unable to,” a Victoria police spokesperson said.
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, said her thoughts were with the families and called on people to watch out for dangerous conditions.
“It is a reminder about being safe around all waterways – beaches, rivers, dams, swimming pools,” Allan said.
