A man has died after being pulled from the water at an unpatrolled beach in Shoal Bay, north-east of Newcastle.
Another man remains in a critical condition after being rescued from the surf at 2.45pm on Monday afternoon.
A popular lookout offers views of Zenith Beach.
The pair, Nepalese nationals aged in their 20s, were swimming at Zenith Beach when friends on the shore noticed they were in distress. After calling emergency services, the friends entered the water and pulled the two men back to the sand.
Good Samaritan beachgoers and local police officers performed CPR on the men before the ambulance arrived, but one man could not be revived and died at the scene.
The second man remains in a critical condition, with NSW Ambulance confirming he was not transported to hospital in an ambulance.
Zenith Beach is located within Tomaree National Park, a short five-minute walk from the closest road.
National Parks NSW advises beachgoers to “take care” if they choose to swim at the unpatrolled beach.
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