Irish man found dead at famous Whitehaven beach among three deaths on Australia’s east coast
A man from Ireland has lost his life at Whitehaven beach, located near the Great Barrier Reef. Two additional individuals have also been discovered deceased, with serious concerns for two more following separate incidents in waters off Sydney during a tragic New Year period. Queensland authorities indicated that emergency services were notified around 11am on Wednesday about a 35-year-old Irish man’s body being located in the water at the well-known beach in the northern part of the state. “Authorities will compile a report for the coroner related to a drowning event in the Whitsundays yesterday,” police mentioned in a statement on Thursday, adding it would be inappropriate to provide further commentary. Just one day after this man’s passing, a woman perished after being swept into the ocean from a Sydney beach during the early hours of New Year’s Day, despite warnings regarding perilous surf conditions along the New South Wales coastline. Emergency services were alerted to Maroubra beach in Sydney around 4am on Thursday following reports that someone had been swept out to sea. The 25-year-old female was struck by a wave, which sent her tumbling into a tidal rock pool before subsequent waves carried her away. NSW police were informed of the developments. Sign up: AU Breaking News email. Police, along with the air wing and NSW Ambulance, initiated a search that resulted in the recovery of a woman’s body around 5am. The body is believed to belong to the missing female. Meanwhile, a search operation commenced on Thursday morning for another swimmer who is reportedly unaccounted for in the waters at Coogee. Shortly after 6am on Thursday, emergency services responded to Coogee beach after receiving news of a man, thought to be in his 20s, who was in distress in the water. The president of Coogee Surf Life Saving Club, Ben Heenan, stated that four individuals had opted to take a morning swim at the beach. “Due to the significant surf, they were caught in a strong rip and swept off their feet,” Heenan reported. “They attempted to return to shore and required help. A police officer and two off-duty surf lifesavers intervened to assist them. “Three of the swimmers were able to return to safety, but regrettably, one could not make it back. We immediately initiated a search.” Police, ambulance, surf life-saving teams, and council officers have become involved in the search efforts. The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a hazardous surf warning affecting a significant portion of the NSW shoreline, from Byron to the Illawarra. Surf and swell conditions were predicted to be dangerous on Thursday for coastal activities such as rock fishing, boating, and swimming, according to the BoM. The police marine area command advised that individuals should contemplate staying out of the water and avoid traversing surf-exposed areas. Search for teenage boy after boat capsized. These incidents follow the drowning of a man in Sydney on New Year’s Eve after a small boat overturned at Palm Beach. Two men and a 14-year-old boy were on the vessel when it capsized in rough waters near Barrenjoey Headland at approximately 11.35am. A man was rescued from the water by surf lifesavers and received treatment from paramedics but unfortunately died at the scene. Another man managed to scramble onto nearby rocks before being airlifted to safety by a rescue helicopter and subsequently taken to a hospital. A search for the missing boy was anticipated to carry on into New Year’s Day. Surf Lifesaving NSW chief executive Steven Pearce expressed that the previous 24 hours had endured “a very horrific period concerning drownings” for NSW. “This is in addition to several mass rescues conducted yesterday by lifesavers and lifeguards all along the NSW coast,” Pearce informed 2GB radio on Thursday morning.
Published: 2026-01-01 07:20:00
source: www.theguardian.com
