Search underway for young boy swept into ocean off NSW Central Coast

The 11-year-old was attempting to cross The Entrance Channel with his father on Sunday afternoon when he was swept away.

A search is underway for an 11-year-old boy who was swept out to the ocean on the NSW Central Coast.

Emergency services were called to the The Entrance, about 110km north of Sydney, on reports of a young boy attempting to swim across The Entrance Channel with his father about 5.15pm on Sunday.

The father, a 43-year-old man, was with his four sons, aged 11, nine, seven and three, when the eldest son was caught in a current.

A search continues an 11-year-old boy has been swept out into the ocean on the NSW Central Coast. Picture 9News

Despite the best efforts from the man, the child was unable to be reached and he was swept away into the open ocean.

Two bystanders assisted in rescuing the three other children, but the 11-year-old remains missing.

Police immediately launched an extensive land, air and sea search to find the boy, assisted by Surf Life Saving, Toll and Westpac Rescue Helicopters and the Marine Area Command.

A witness to the tragic scene, speaking with Nine News, said he saw the father on the beach in “agony”.

“I saw the father on the beach in absolute agony, screaming,” he said.

“It was chaotic, it was heartbreaking. It was really confronting.

“They need more signs. Signs in different languages to educate the people that come up here that don’t speak English.”

The search will resume Monday morning. Picture: 9News

Inspector David Piddington, speaking on Monday morning, said the search would continue throughout Monday.

“Aerial assets, marine assets, surf life-saving assets will continue throughout the day with the priority of trying to find the boy,” he said.

He said the family had travelled to the Central Coast from Sydney and were fishing together.

“The family were here fishing and they were attempting to cross the channel, when the boy was swept into the ocean from the channel,” he said.

The family’s first language is not English, he added.

The family were crossing from the north to the south.

“We don’t know exactly why, but it is a shortcut from the beach,” Inspector David Piddington said.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Originally published as Search underway for young boy swept into ocean off NSW Central Coast