Father dies trying to save daughter at Seven Mile Beach
“Since 1 December, volunteer lifesavers and Australian Lifeguard Service lifeguards have performed over 1760 rescues along our coastline,” Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steve Pearce said.
“For the summer so far, there have been 10 coastal drowning incidents, and each of those have come at an unpatrolled location or away from the red and yellow flags.
“It’s completely understandable that as parents, we would go to the aid of our kids in trouble without question. Sadly though, it so often ends in tragedies like this.”
The man’s death follows two similar incidents at NSW beaches in less than three weeks.
On New Year’s Day, police sergeant Peter Stone died while trying to save his 14-year-old son at a beach near Bogola Head at Narooma, on the NSW South Coast.
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Stone was swept out to sea by a rip, and could not be revived.
On January 3, a 42-year-old man drowned while trying to rescue his teenage daughter from a rip at Back Beach, north of Forster on the NSW Mid North Coast.
Members of the public performed CPR on the man until paramedics arrived, but he could not be revived.
Experts said the spate of “bystander drownings”, in which a person drowns after entering the water to save another, may have been avoided if would-be rescuers had taken a flotation device with them.
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“These are high-stress moments, but the best thing you can do is call for help and look around for a flotation device – such as a boogie board, an esky, a ball – before you enter the water,” Professor Rob Brander, a beach safety researcher at the University of NSW, said.
“Just take something that floats. All the research shows that this makes the difference in rescues.”
If caught in a rip, the best advice is to float, signal for help by waving your arm and conserve your energy, Brander said. Don’t panic, and if you are carried away from shore and are a strong swimmer, attempt to swim across the current, parallel with the shore or towards breaking waves.
“When you go to the beach, you should stop for a second and think about beach safety,” Brander said. “Swim between the flags on a patrolled beach, make sure there are flotation devices nearby. If it’s unpatrolled, and there’s nobody around, don’t go in.”
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A report will be prepared for the coroner following Wednesday’s death.
If caught in a rip, Surf Life Saving NSW advises that you should:
- Stay calm and signal for help by waving your arm and calling out.
- Float to conserve energy. The current may take you back to the beach or to shallower water.
- Swim parallel to the beach or towards the breaking waves to escape the current.
Our Breaking News Alert will notify you of significant breaking news when it happens. Get it here.
“Since 1 December, volunteer lifesavers and Australian Lifeguard Service lifeguards have performed over 1760 rescues along our coastline,” Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steve Pearce said.
“For the summer so far, there have been 10 coastal drowning incidents, and each of those have come at an unpatrolled location or away from the red and yellow flags.
“It’s completely understandable that as parents, we would go to the aid of our kids in trouble without question. Sadly though, it so often ends in tragedies like this.”
The man’s death follows two similar incidents at NSW beaches in less than three weeks.
On New Year’s Day, police sergeant Peter Stone died while trying to save his 14-year-old son at a beach near Bogola Head at Narooma, on the NSW South Coast.
Loading
Stone was swept out to sea by a rip, and could not be revived.
On January 3, a 42-year-old man drowned while trying to rescue his teenage daughter from a rip at Back Beach, north of Forster on the NSW Mid North Coast.
Members of the public performed CPR on the man until paramedics arrived, but he could not be revived.
Experts said the spate of “bystander drownings”, in which a person drowns after entering the water to save another, may have been avoided if would-be rescuers had taken a flotation device with them.
Loading
“These are high-stress moments, but the best thing you can do is call for help and look around for a flotation device – such as a boogie board, an esky, a ball – before you enter the water,” Professor Rob Brander, a beach safety researcher at the University of NSW, said.
“Just take something that floats. All the research shows that this makes the difference in rescues.”
If caught in a rip, the best advice is to float, signal for help by waving your arm and conserve your energy, Brander said. Don’t panic, and if you are carried away from shore and are a strong swimmer, attempt to swim across the current, parallel with the shore or towards breaking waves.
“When you go to the beach, you should stop for a second and think about beach safety,” Brander said. “Swim between the flags on a patrolled beach, make sure there are flotation devices nearby. If it’s unpatrolled, and there’s nobody around, don’t go in.”
Loading
A report will be prepared for the coroner following Wednesday’s death.
If caught in a rip, Surf Life Saving NSW advises that you should:
- Stay calm and signal for help by waving your arm and calling out.
- Float to conserve energy. The current may take you back to the beach or to shallower water.
- Swim parallel to the beach or towards the breaking waves to escape the current.
Our Breaking News Alert will notify you of significant breaking news when it happens. Get it here.
