Diamond Beach drowning: Police say likley teen died due to dangerous conditions
Police say a 17-year-old boy who drowned at Diamond Beach on the Mid-North Coast near Hallidays Point was likely caught-out by the beach’s notoriously dangerous conditions. It is the third drowning death on the mid-north coast in the last week.
Mid-North Coast
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The tragic drowning of a teenage boy at an unpatrolled beach on the Mid-North Coast was in all likelihood caused by strong tidal forces, such as a rip, and dangerous, choppy conditions, police say.
Investigations are continuing into the death of a 17-year-old boy on Wednesday who was swimming with family at Diamond Beach, Hallidays Point, when it is believed he became caught in dangerous surf.
Officers from Manning-Great Lakes Police District pulled the teenager from the water and began conducting CPR before NSW Ambulance paramedics continued, however he died at the scene.
It is the third drowning in a week along the Mid-North Coast.
Manning-Great Lakes Police District Inspector Ben Atkinson said it was “reasonable to assume” that the boy drowned due to the difficult nature of the surf conditions at the beach.
“Police, Ambulance, Surf Life Saving all responded to the scene,” he said.
“We’re looking at all circumstances around the location of where they where swimming, the climactic conditions present … it was very choppy, there were a lot of rips present, and it is reasonable to assume that this is how it may have happened.”
“The best place to swim at out beaches is on a patrolled beach.”
He said the boy’s family who where with him at the time are assisting police with their inquiries.
Carpenter Assad Ibrahim was working on the roof a house at a nearby construction site at North Diamond Beach when and said he heard five to six emergency service vehicles attend the incident.
“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 rag over their body.”
Lower North Coast Surf Life Saving branch president Brian Wilcox said the expansive, open-facing nature of Diamond Beach can sometimes 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,” he said.
“That is why it is unpatrolled … I wouldn’t have thought anyone should be swimming there on a day like today, it is very ordinary.”
Surf Life Saving NSW CEO Steve Pearce said it was so tragic that an incident such as this has occurred, and so early in the holidays.
“We want to remind beach goers and holidaymakers to be cautious around water, avoid rip currents and only swim at patrolled locations between the flags,” Mr Pearce said.
“With the weather warming up for the long weekend, lifesavers and lifeguards are on high alert and are urging the public to be extremely wary at remote and unpatrolled locations.
“Volunteers are back on the beach on weekends and public holidays and the Australian Lifeguard Service is patrolling many beaches on the mid north coast on weekdays.