Bilgola Beach: Spearfisherman, 26, dies after being pulled from water
A 26-year-old man from Hornsby Heights has tragically died after spearfishing on the northern beaches. Life savers and police divers are due to search for two missing spearguns abandoned in the water over fears they could go off.
Manly
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A spearfisherman desperately tried to save the life of his 26-year-old friend after finding him floating in the water off the northern beaches late yesterday afternoon.
It comes as police requested the help of life savers to try and find two missing spearguns dropped in the water at Bilgola Beach over fears they could go off by themselves.
Police divers are due to assist in the search.
Police said the two males were at Bilgola Beach spearfishing yesterday, one for the first time.
They had swum out about 100m from the northern end of the beach, where they agreed to swim to the rock shelf about 50m away.
After a few minutes the experienced spearfisher noticed his friend, who comes from Hornsby Heights, had swum the opposite direction and he could not be seen.
He swam back to their original location where he located one of his friend’s flippers submerged in the water on the sea bed.
Police said he then located the man floating in the water unconscious and unresponsive, missing both flippers, his handheld spear, and his snorkel mask was lifted.
The friend dropped his own spear-gun to assist the man, dragged him to the beach where they were met by surf life savers, who began CPR.
Police arrived 15 minutes later at about 5.20pm and assisted them with CPR, until pramedics arrived minutes later and continued to perform CPR.
Police, four life savers, a medical practitioner who was in the area and paramedics continually
rotated with CPR for some time.
A defibrillator was positioned on the deceased however as he remained in an asystole rhythm the defibrillator was unable to be used.
“Paramedics worked tirelessly with other emergency services, but despite their best efforts, nothing further could be done,” NSW Ambulance Inspector Ronald Mawhinney said.
“This a tragic event for everyone involved.
“Paramedics, with the assistance of lifesavers and police, did everything they could to resuscitate the man, but unfortunately he could not be revived.”
The deceased young man’s family were notified of the tragedy and attended Northern Beaches Hospital where his body had been taken.
Police today have made requests from surf life savers at Bilgola Beach to conduct regular patrols and canvass for the spear-guns, mask, snorkel, and flippers of the deceased and his friend which were lost in the ocean during the incident.
Police have also requested for police divers to assist in locating the equipment.
The life savers advised the spear-guns will sink and move in line with the current; they believe it is most likely the spear-guns will go off while still in the water at the sea-bed.
Officers from Northern Beaches Police Area Command have commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
A report will be prepared for the information of the coroner.