A young man, described as in his 20s, was pulled from the water unconscious and not breathing by members of the public early this morning at Tallow Beach, Byron Bay (18 January, 2024).
The Surf Life Saving New South Wales (SLSNSW) State Operations Centre was made aware of the incident just before 7.30am this morning. CPR was performed before he was declared deceased at the scene by paramedics.
The man is yet to be formally identified but is believed to be aged in his 20s.
‘It comes less than a day after a female in her 30s was pulled from the water at Shelly Beach, a remote cove near Manly, where members of the public activated the Emergency Response Beacon (ERB) to alert emergency services,’ said a SLSNSW spokesperson in a press release.
‘The State Operations Centre tasked Manly lifeguards just before 1pm on Wednesday 17 January following the ERB activation, and despite resuscitation efforts she was also declared deceased on scene.’
The two incidents bring the NSW summer coastal drowning figure to 11 – the same as this time last year. However, the coastal drowning number since July 1 2023 is significantly higher than the same time last year, 33 compared to 19.
According the SLSNSW females are generally significantly underrepresented in coastal drowning figures, with the most recent NSW Coastal Safety Report indicating that 83 per cent of drownings for the state are male.
‘This has been a devastating 24 hours for NSW,’ said Surf Life Saving NSW CEO, Steve Pearce ‘The latest two incidents are a warning to all potential beachgoers. Every coastal drowning is a tragedy, but to have two in such a short space of time is a tough reflection on how risky it can be to enter the water.
‘Once again, both of these drownings have occurred at unpatrolled locations and we really must reiterate that if you plan to visit the coastline, the safest thing you can do is head to a beach where you see the red and yellow flags flying.’
Officers attached to Tweed/Byron Police District have commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
A report is being prepared for the information of the Coroner.
BEACH SAFETY TIPS
- Always swim between the red and yellow patrol flags, for your nearest patrolled beach check the BeachSafe app or website
- Read the safety signs for information about the beach and ask a lifesaver or lifeguard for safety information
- Always swim with someone else so you can look out for each other, and always supervise children around the water
- Never swim under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- If you need help in the water, stay calm and attract attention by raising one arm
- In an emergency, dial Triple Zero
- For information about patrol times, weather, and beach locations visit the Beachsafe Website or Download the App.
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