A scuba diver in his 60s has died in the Hunter this week amid a holiday season marred by a spike in water rescues.
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Police and emergency services were called to Black Neds Bay at Swansea about 2.20pm Tuesday after reports an unconscious man had been pulled from the water.
Witnesses had come to the assistance of a diver aged in his 60s, a spokesperson for the police said yesterday, and while efforts were made to help the man before paramedics arrived, he could not be revived.
The reports came as 630 other rescues had to be made across the state's waterways in the three days over Christmas.
Given 4000 rescues are performed annually, the recent spike of more than eight per hour was worrying, Premier Dominic Perrottet said yesterday, urging beachgoers swimmers to supervise children, swim between the flags, wear a life jacket when required and heed warnings from emergency service personnel.
Emergency Services Minister Steph Cooke said Surf Life Saving NSW volunteers were out in force at nearly 130 locations along the state's coastline.
One drowning is one too many
- Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steve Pearce
The water safety warning comes a day after two teenagers died while being towed by a boat near Tamworth. The girls, aged 13 and 14, were on Lake Keepit, near Tamworth, when they hit a tree stump about 5pm on Tuesday. They couldn't be revived. Surf Life Saving NSW chief Steve Pearce, who grew up in Tamworth, lamented the loss of life and said it would have a "ripple effect" on the regional communities. He warned inland waterways were particularly dangerous because no lifesavers are out there on hand compared to coastal settings.
Fifty-five people died across NSW waterways in 2021, the deadliest year on record.
"We don't want to see this repeated again," Mr Pearce said. "One drowning is one too many."
The incident is one of several deadly incidents, including children, on Australian waterways since Christmas with five people drowning. The Royal Life Saving's national summer drowning toll has recorded 16 deaths so far.
Meanwhile, police in Wagga were searching for a swimmer who reportedly did not resurface while in the Murrumbidgee River on Tuesday.
The report was made to police about 8.30pm, leading to a search which resumed yesterday, despite no person being reported missing.
