At Ettalong Beach on the NSW Central Coast this afternoon, a father passed away in front of his young son.
The eight-year-old youngster and other beachgoers attempted to revive the man, but they were unable.
The guy in his 30s died, according to Surf Life Saving NSW, marking the second death on the same stretch of the Central Coast in ten days, following the Christmas Day drowning at Umina Beach.
According to a witness to the tragedy that occurred today, jet skiers raced to save the man from the water.
“They boys tried to help him out, lift him on, they did everything they could.”
The mayhem was described by those on shore as it happened.
“They shouted at us as they were in the water. Another witness remarked, “I think there’s a shark in the water.”
The man and child were spotted in peril 50 yards off the coast, according to Surf Life Saving NSW. The father was given CPR by Maritime Services and emergency personnel, however he was not successful in recovering.
“With two deaths in as many weeks, this is devastating news for the families of the men and the local community between Umina and Ettalong,” said Steve Pearce, CEO of Surf Life Saving NSW.
“They require time to process what happened and deal with the loss of loved ones. We request that the media respect their right to privacy at this sad time.”
According to the group, this summer’s ninth verified coastal drowning has occurred.
