While the January blizzard is ringing in our Russian latitudes, it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere, which is full of peculiarities for this time of year and tragic consequences in the New Year. A woman in Australia died after being swept overboard from a Sydney beach in the early hours of the new year.
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Police said a 25-year-old woman was hit by waves and another swimmer was missing in Coogee, The Guardian wrote.
A woman has been found dead after being swept overboard from a Sydney beach in the early hours of New Year's Eve, as authorities have issued a warning about dangerous surfing conditions on the NSW coast. Later in the morning, another swimmer went missing in the water in the Coogee area.
Emergency services were called to Maroubra Beach in Sydney about 4am on Thursday after reports of a man being swept overboard.
NSW Police said the 25-year-old woman was hit by a wave, throwing her against coastal rocks before subsequent waves swept her out to sea.
Police, including the air force and NSW Ambulance, began a search and found the woman's body about 5am. Police said Thursday morning that although formal identification had not yet been completed, the body was believed to be that of the missing woman.
The Guardian noted that a search was underway at Coogee Beach on Thursday morning for another swimmer believed missing in the water.
Emergency services were called to Coogee Beach just after 6am on Thursday after reports of a man, believed to be in his 20s, in trouble in the water. Surf Life Saving Australia duty officer from New South Wales Ben Heenan said four people decided to go swimming at the beach in the morning.
“Because of the big waves, they were hit by a very big wave that washed ashore, causing them to fall,” Heenan said. “They were trying to get back to shore and needed help. An off-duty police officer and two surf lifeguards arrived at the scene and assisted. Three of them made it to shore. Unfortunately, one cannot go back. We immediately started searching.”
Police, ambulances, surf lifeguards and city staff joined the search, The Guardian reported.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a dangerous surf warning for much of the NSW coast stretching from Byron to the Illawarra.
NCIS warns people to stay out of the water and avoid walking near potential surf areas.
“Rock anglers should avoid coastal rocks exposed to the ocean and seek a safe location away from the surf,” the warning states. “Boaters planning to cross shallow waters and beaches should consider rerouting or delaying their route. Boaters already on the water should carry appropriate safety equipment and life jackets.”
On the NSW Central Coast, a Westpac rescue helicopter was dispatched to Avoca Beach to pick up a middle-aged man who was pulled unconscious from the water at 6.45pm on New Year's Eve. He was treated at the scene by paramedics and doctors from the helicopter's intensive care team before being taken to Royal North Shore Hospital in a serious condition.
The incident follows the death of a Sydney man on New Year's Eve after a boat capsized off Palm Beach, The Guardian reported. Two men and a 14-year-old boy were on board the boat when it capsized in difficult conditions off Barrenjoey Point about 11.35am. Surf lifesavers pulled the man from the water and treated him, but he died at the scene. The second man was able to climb nearby rocks before a rescue helicopter lifted him to safety and took him to the hospital. The search for the missing boy is expected to continue on New Year's Day.
Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Stephen Pearce said the past 24 hours had been “a terrible time in terms of drowning rates” for the state.
