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National

Search for missing swimmer at Mornington Peninsula's dangerous Gunnamatta Beach

Police remain hopeful of rescuing a man who went missing while swimming at a notorious beach on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula.

Emergency services were called to Gunnamatta Ocean Beach near Cape Schanck shortly before 7pm on Friday after several people got into trouble in the water.

One man and a teenage boy from North Melbourne were rescued and were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, but another man could not be found.

Acting Inspector Ian Pregnell from Victoria Police said two brothers aged 16 and 20 were swimming at the beach when they got into trouble about 40 to 60 metres from the shore.

The father of the pair went into the water and was able to rescue the 16-year-old, but could not reach the 20-year-old.

Acting Inspector Pregnell said the incident happened after surf lifesaver patrols had finished for the day.

"It was a heavy swell and strong winds at the time," he said.

Police and emergency services stepped up the search on Saturday, with police boats and helicopters scouring the area.

"We've got SES doing a line search along the beach, we've got our search and rescue divers, we've got Surf Lifesaving Victoria with their boats out here assisting," Acting Inspector Pregnell said.

In an update around midday Saturday, he said the search would continue until sunset if conditions remained good.

"We are still very hopeful and treating it as a search for a missing person," he said.

Lifesavers warn of 'rough and turbulent' conditions

Life Saving Victoria state agency commander Liam Krige said conditions at the beach could be hazardous.

"So we had very warm conditions [on Friday]. There were onshore conditions with a number of rips running," he said.

"It was later in the evening so it was a pretty rough and turbulent day at Gunnamatta yesterday."

Victoria has recorded six drownings since the start of the summer holiday period, including four in the space of three days after Christmas.

Lifesavers have urged anyone swimming at a beach to check the beach's safety rating on the BeachSafe website.

Gunnamatta Beach is rated as a "highly hazardous" swimming spot which usually has strong rips close to shore.

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