James Hayman: Diamond Beach drowning victim, Newcastle teen likely killed by rip
A father tried valiantly but in vain to save his teenage son from drowning at a notoriously dangerous beach — only to come close to losing his own life in the attempt.
Mid-North Coast
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A father tried valiantly but in vain to save his teenage son from drowning at a notoriously dangerous beach — only to come close to losing his own life in the attempt.
Peter Hayman had no hesitation in going to the rescue of his 17-year-old son James at the unpatrolled Diamond Beach near Hallidays Point on NSW’s mid-north coast.
The Daily Telegraph understands James got into trouble swimming in choppy two-metre swell about 1pm on Wednesday while on a family holiday.
Police believe his father went into the surf to try to save his son, but quickly encountered difficulties himself in the conditions.
Manning-Great Lakes Police officers pulled the teenager from the water and began CPR before paramedics arrived and took over. However, James died at the scene.
Mr Hayman was taken to Taree hospital suffering from the effects of water inhalation and spent the night there supported by his wife Melissa and youngest son Tom.
James’s grandfather Paul Hayman choked back tears on Thursday recounting the tragedy that has devastated the Newcastle family.
“It’s … it’s very difficult,” Paul said. “We’re still trying to come to terms with it … we’re quite distraught.”
“Peter went in, too, and took in quite a bit of water and that’s why they kept him in overnight in hospital.”
He said James was a quiet and reserved Belmont High School student who had ambitions of becoming a chef.
The family were holidaying in the area with friends.
It was a one-off trip and the family were not familiar with Diamond Beach, the grandfather said.
“It’s awful, it’s just so sudden and unexpected.”
Paul Hayman said the family was close, spending a lot of time at his and his wife Helen’s place in the Newcastle suburb of Argenton.
James, he said, had his sights set on a career in the restaurant industry.
“He was a quiet sort of kid really, and he was into cooking. I think he wanted to go in to becoming a chef when he finished school. That was one of his big aims.”
Lower North Coast Surf Life Saving branch president Brian Wilcox said the expansive, open-facing nature of Diamond Beach can often present difficult conditions for swimming.
“It’s a pretty dangerous beach normally that beach because it is such a long beach and rips can occur quite frequently,” Mr Wilcox said.
“It is unpatrolled … I wouldn’t have thought anyone should be swimming there on a day like (Wednesday) it’s very ordinary.”
Officers from Manning-Great Lakes Police District attended the scene and managed to pull the teenager from the water.
They tried to revive him with the assistance of NSW Ambulance paramedics who arrived a short time later.
A Westpac Rescue Helicopter was also dispatched, but was called off when James did not respond.
Carpenter Assad Ibrahim, who was working on a nearby roof, described seeing up to eight emergency service vehicles arriving at the beach.
“We were working on a site just outside of the Serenity Diamond Beach Resort, and we just heard one police car after another, there was probably about five or six and two ambulances,” he said.
“There were lifeguards that came as well, obviously to get someone out of the water, then at about three o’clock we packed up tools and we got to the beach and we noticed there was a person lying there with a white (cloth) over their body.”
Police at the time said it was “reasonable to assume” that a rip or strong tidal current, with the combination of rough surf, contributed to the teenager’s death.
Police said the investigation into James’ death will now be led by the coroner.
It is the third drowning on the mid north coast in the past week, and has prompted a warning by Surf Life Saving NSW for people to remain vigilant and avoid unpatrolled beaches.
“Please, if you’re heading to the beach these school holidays, or this coming long weekend, swim at a patrolled location and always swim between the red and yellow flags,” Surf Life Saving NSW CEO Steven Pearce.
“We want to remind beach goers and holiday-makers to be cautious around water, avoid rip currents and only swim at patrolled locations between the flags.”
A report released last month by Australia’s two peak water safety bodies the Royal Life Saving Society and Surf Life Saving Australia found men accounted for 80 per cent of all drowning deaths in Australia.
Swimming at unpatrolled beaches was one of the key contributors. Last year there were a total of 125 coastal drowning deaths.
The federal government said it was supporting water safety organisations with funding of $36 million to raise awareness, educate swimmers and make pools, waterways and beaches safer as the summer approaches.
