Man dies after drowning at popular beach in Anna Bay

A man in his 30s has died and a woman is fighting for life after a group got into trouble in the water of a popular tourist beach.

A man has died after he was pulled unconscious from the water on a popular tourist beach.

Paramedics and police rushed to Birubi Beach in Anna Bay at Port Stephens about 2,40pm on Wednesday following reports four people had been pulled from the water.

They arrived to find bystanders trying to help a 33-year-old man.

Bystanders tried to save the 33-year-old but he could not be revived. Photo: Peter Bush

Despite their efforts, he could not be revived and died at the scene.

NSW Ambulance treated a woman at the scene before rushing her to John Hunter Hospital where she is in a critical condition.

A second man was also treated by paramedics before being taken to the same hospital in a stable condition.

A third man was treated at the scene but did not require hospitalisation.

Birubi Beach is patrolled by professional lifeguards from 9am to 6pm in the summer time.

“Officers attached to Port Stephens-Hunter Police District have commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident,” NSW Police said in a statement.

A reported will be prepared for the coroner.

Birubi Beach is one of the most popular at Anna Bay for tourists. Photo: Port Stephens Tourism

It’s the fourth coastal drowning to affect the Port Stephens area in the past three months.

Another man died just 10 days before Wednesday’s drowning after he was pulled unconscious from the water at the same beach.

Surf Lifesavers were notified of a man who had been pulled from the water just after 6.30 pm on December 17.

Off-duty lifesavers administered CPR and a defibrillator before emergency services arrived, however, the man died a short time later.

The beach was not patrolled at the time but several volunteers had been on site.

Authorities have been pleading with locals and tourists to take care when visiting the beaches.

“PLEASE, when you go swimming at our beaches, ALWAYS swim between the flags and take notice of what the Lifesavers tell you,” a Port Stephens Police District spokesperson said a day before the most recent drowning.

“DON’T swim in unpatrolled sections of the beach, even if you think you’re a strong swimmer, the surf is stronger!!

“The cold hard facts are that three people have drowned at our beaches recently, and only yesterday at Birubi a teenager was pulled from the water in an unpatrolled section of the beach.”