Updated 10am: Tweed-Byron police have called off a search for a swimmer reported missing at Cabarita Beach on the Tweed Coast yesterday afternoon after failing to find any evidence that someone was still in the water.
They have thanked Life Savers from Brunswick, Salt, Cudgen and Cabarita, for their assistance with the search late yesterday.
Police say that despite a comprehensive search that lasted over two hours, involving five inflatable rescue boats, two jet skis and the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter, no one was found.
They added that patrols along all beaches were conducted with no items being located to suggest someone had not returned from the surf.
Original report: A search for a man missing at Cabarita Beach on the Tweed Coast was suspended yesterday evening (Sunday, December 22) after poor light made conditions hazardous for rescuers.
According to Surf Life Saving NSW the swimmer got into difficulty shortly after 4pm and a member of the public contacted local police who subsequently requested on-water support.
The informant had seen a person in distress, who subsequently became submerged on the southern side of Norries Headland.
Surf lifesavers from several northern New South Wales clubs including Brunswick, Salt, and Cabarita, a support operations jet ski, and a Duty Officer were all tasked to assist in the multi-agency search.
Westpac Life Saving Helicopter also provided aerial support but despite the best efforts of all involved there was no trace of the missing swimmer.
Conditions at the time are described as being fair with a swell of between one-to-two metres reported.
A meeting will be held early this morning led by NSW Police with a decision to be made on the scale and resources but indications are that the search will be scaled back.
Surf Life Saving has said it will continue to make all assets available in the search effort.
