Woman’s body found in waters off Point Lonsdale

A woman who died after being found unresponsive in waters off Point Lonsdale has been identified.

A woman who died after being found unresponsive in waters off the Bellarine Peninsula has been identified.

Police said a 62-year-old from Ocean Grove was reported missing on Thursday morning.

“Her family raised the alarm when she failed to return home after leaving the area about 10.30am,” a police spokeswoman said.

She was found unresponsive in the water off Point Lonsdale about 12pm by the police chopper.

Police rushed her back to shore in an attempt to save her but sadly she could not be revived.

A local witness said the conditions were calm, without much swell.

The emergency sparked an extensive search effort between multiple agencies from Point Lonsdale to Queenscliff in an attempt to find the woman including local police, water police and the coast guard.

Police helicopter and Coast Guard search for missing woman off Point Lonsdale Picture: Mandy Squires

Another witness reported seeing a police chopper circling above the water as emergency services searched the water about 500m from the shore.

At one stage, the chopper was hovering closely above the coast guard’s boat while it’s understood the woman’s body was being recovered from the water.

The boat was then seen racing back to the shore.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

A police chopper searches for a woman who was reported missing on Thursday morning. Picture: Mandy Squires

The tragedy comes after 17 people had to be saved while swimming off Point Lonsdale last month.

The group were a part of a training session which went wrong when they were swept away by surging tidal waves near the Rip.

A pilot was headed back to shore when they heard the swimmers were in trouble in the water.

They saved one woman who had been in the water for about 45 minutes without a wetsuit.

Originally published as Woman’s body found in waters off Point Lonsdale