Renewed warnings for weak swimmers as drownings spike in NSW

Five tragic drownings since Christmas have prompted experts to plead for inexperienced or weak swimmers—- in particular, children or those of migrant backgrounds — to be careful, or just stay out of the water.

Five tragic drownings since Christmas have prompted experts to plead for weak swimmers - in particular children or those of migrant backgrounds - to be careful or stay out of the water.

The tragedies include two on the Central Coast on Christmas Day, one at Penrith Beach and the south coast on Boxing Day and another at Anna Bay near Newcastle on Wednesday.

At Penrith Beach, Seti Tuaopepe’s selfless last act was to rescue his children he was paddle boarding with and pass them off to another adult rescuer, but he was ultimately unable to save himself.

The tragedy at Penrith came a week after the lakeside beach was opened.

It comes as details of Mr Tuaopepe’s final minutes come to light, including eyewitness accounts that children paddle boarding with him couldn’t swim.

Penrith’s John Savill was talking to Mr Tuaopepe just ten minutes before the man disappeared in the water.

“He had the same stand up paddle board as me,” Mr Savill said of the St Mary’s man.

The search continues for Khattab Abu Haish, 19, who went missing at Congo Beach near Moruya on Boxing Day. Photo: Facebook / Supplied

“I headed out (into the water) with my children and we weren’t in the swimming area and he (the man) attempted to do the same thing.

Mr Savill said three children were sitting on the paddle board with Mr Tuaopepe when they fell off into the water and “panicked”.

“None of them could swim and the kids started panicking and pushing him under,” he said.

“By the time I got there we got all three kids onto the paddle board and he was less than a metre away from me and then a second later he had disappeared.”

“Once I got the kids on the board, I pushed them towards my father- in-law and he took them to the beach and I went back searching for the guy.”

“He was literally less than a metre from me and I thought, do I get him or the kids first, while also worrying about my kids.”

NSW Police divers and a Toll rescue helicopter eventually located Mr Tuaopepe’s body about 6.15pm, about four hours after he went missing.

“You were kind, silent and a very gentle classmate,” one friend wrote on Facebook.

“You were a family man … condolences to your wife, children and family.”

Seti Tuaopepe drowned while paddleboarding with his children at Penrith Beach on Tuesday 26 December 2023. Photo: Facebook / Supplied,

In the latest drowning, a man, 33, died after four people were pulled from the ocean near Port Stephens on Wednesday afternoon.

A man and woman in their 30s were also transported to John Hunter Hospital from the group, with the woman in a critical condition.

It comes as the search continues for Khattab Abu Haish, 19, who was last seen in surf off Congo Beach near Moruya about 3.30pm on Boxing Day.

NSW Police were told Mr Haish had rescued a family member who was struggling in the surf, before being caught in a rip and swept out to sea himself.

Two people also drowned in separate incidents on the Central Coast on Boxing Day, including Canadian grandfather Ron Brean, 79, who had been in Australia for only five days when he went for an afternoon swim with his two grandsons only to be tragically swept into a fatal current.

He was declared dead at the scene.

Mr Brean’s daughter, Jane Pearce Brean, described her father as “an ocean lover” and “a strong swimmer”, but it’s understood he suffered a medical episode in the water.

“He was meant to just take a quick dip in the ocean but got caught in the tide, he had always been a very good, confident swimmer … he used to be a sailor,” Ms Brean said

University of NSW Professor Rob Brander, also known as Dr Rip, said beachgoers who were not strong swimmer, had to understand their limits.

Onlookers watch on following a man’s death at Penrith Beach on Boxing Day. Image: TNV

“New migrants in Australia are excited to be here, they like to explore and take advantage of our coast line and waterways – but I think we need to do a better job educating them about water safety.”

A University of NSW report released last year indicated that half of all beach drowning deaths in Australia since 2004 have been people born overseas, with Mr Brander saying those communities had to be specifically targeted in safety messaging.

“We need to make sure we do a good job about educating migrants – we’ve got to get these important messages out to them quickly after they arrive,” he said.

Royal Life Saving Australia national CEO Justin Scarr echoed the need for migrants especially to be safe around water.

“Our view is if people are not strong swimmers, they need to be very careful particularly around inland waterways, beaches and lakes,” he said.

“Generally, more recent arrived migrants and refugees need the most help in understanding the risks associated with swimming, whether in inland waterways or beaches.”

“Something as simple as a picnic by a river or lake can easily turn to tragedy if they lose track of their children, or enter the water while being a poor swimmer.”

Dr Jaz Lawes, research team leader at Surf Life Saving Australia, said: “If you are not a strong swimmer, we advise you to be conscious of your own limits and recreate within those limits”.

“While not going in above waist height may appear to reduce risk for non-proficient or weaker swimmers, the risk still exists especially at an unpatrolled location. Rip currents are the number one coastal hazard, involved in one in five coastal drowning deaths and can be dangerously strong even at waist height,” she said.

Acting Premier Prue Car said the Penrith Beach death was being investigated and authorities were analysing if any safety improvements could be made.

“We need to definitely be looking at ways for communities right across the state, particularly in Western Sydney, (to ensure they) can access swimming lessons so that the community is safe when they want to go and have a splash in a new beach,” she said.