South West Rocks: No sign of spear fisherman now missing more than a day in ocean

A command post has been established at the location where a man went missing more than 24 hours ago at South West Rocks on the NSW Mid-North Coast.

The location where a man went missing while spear fishing today at South West Rocks

The family of a man missing spear fisherman lost in waters off the Mid-North Coast, are said to be ‘distraught’ as the the search effort for the 53-year-old man now surpasses 24 hours.

Police have now commenced the lead operation in the multi-agency search effort at South West Rocks, and have established a command post at the site where the man went missing at Leggars Point, near the Trial Bay Gaol.

Mid-North Coast Police officers, Marine Area Rescue, NSW Ambulance, NSW Surf Lifesaving, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service and local lifeguards, are all assisting in the hope of still finding the spear fisherman, who was swept off rocks about 1pm Thursday, alive.

A large air and sea search has not found any trace of the man, who was with his son when he was hit by a large wave and knocked off rocks on Thursday.

Water Police spent six hours out on the water searching about 100 metres off shore. Pic Daniel Mills

An extensive air search was also conducted. Pic Daniel Mills

Search will resume Friday morning at 7am. Pic Daniel Mills

The missing man was last seen wearing a camouflaged patterned, blue and green wetsuit, yellow-tipped snorkel and one black flipper.

Police said both the father and son, whose age has not been given, were pushed onto rocks by a large incoming wave, however the older man was swept back into the water a short time later.

Mid-North Coast Police District Inspector Clint Smallwood said the family are holding up OK, under the circumstances.

“Obviously its distressing and they are quite distraught, but they are holding up as best they can,” Inspector Smallwood said.

Family of the missing man and caravan park residents had been gathered at the location where he went missing, some with binoculars, looking for any sign of the man from the shore line.

Emergency Services concluded their search on Thursday about 7pm, and resumed this morning at 7am.

Surf Life Saving NSW have four IRBs (rubber duckies), RWCs (jetskis), and UAVs (drones), involved in the search.

The Surf Life Saving NSW Support Operations call out team have released dye packs into the water to track the currents and drift patterns at the location where the man was last seen.

The spear fisherman was with his son when he was hit by a wave on rocks. Pic Daniel Mills

A police vessel and jet skis assist in the search at Laggers Point

Water Police scour the area for the 53-year-old man

Lifeguards participated in the multi-agency search effort. Pic Daniel Mills

Swells are expected to increase over the coming days, and Mr Smallwood said he anticipates that if the man is not located today, then search resources may need to be reduced.

“The size we are searching is 1000sq km, that’s guaging off abut 50km in either direction and 10km out [to sea] - but the swell is increasing,” he said.

“At this moment we wouldn’t consider putting divers in, it’s just way to dangerous at this stage.

“I dare say that efforts are going to be down scaled, and we’ll need to reassess in the morning.

“The weather is going to come in over night, and the swell is going to increase in size.”

Surf Life Saving NSW reported that there have been 27 coastal drownings since 1 July 2020 — with six fatalities since January 1, 2021.