The recent string of tragic incidents on beaches across the NSW Mid North Coast is growing, with a search stood down until tomorrow morning for a Sydney school leaver who was swept out to sea near South West Rocks. 

The 18-year-old, who recently graduated from elite private The Kings School in Sydney’s north west, was swimming with friends off Little Bay Beach in Arakoon at about 4.20pm on Sunday.

Westpac Rescue

Westpac Rescue Helicopter was assisting in the multi-agency search.  (ABC Mid North Coast: Sophia McCaughan )

NSW Police confirmed the search would recommence at 8am on Tuesday morning.

Local Chief Inspector Mick Aldridge said the young man was on a schoolies trip with friends to celebrate the end of HSC exams.

“Witnesses and bystanders tried to get to him, but he was dragged out to sea,” he said.

“A member of the National Parks was also trying to get him out of the water.” 

Police

NSW Police Chief Inspector Mick Aldridge says the teenager’s friends attempted to save him before he was dragged out to sea.  (ABC Mid North Coast: Sophia McCaughan )

Little Bay Beach is an unpatrolled remote beach with President of Surf Life Saving Mid North Coast, Rod McDonagh explaining the area is dangerous to navigate. 

“The surf is quite turbulent, quite choppy. It’s very rocky round here and a lot of cliff faces,” he said. 

Safety advice on the National Parks and Wildlife Service website states that beaches in the Arakoon National Park “can have strong rip currents”.

A beach safety sign

A National Parks beach safety sign at Little Bay near South West Rocks.  (Sophia McCaughan: ABC Mid North Coast)

Keith Robinson, a surfer and board shaper from nearby Nambucca, said the area around Little Bay was deceptively dangerous.

“It’s a beautiful looking place, nice big sand bar, and it’s shallow,” he said.

“But if you venture out a little too far there’s a hell of a current ripping around the back of that wall there.” 

A small sandy beach flanked on either side by headlands

A swimmer has gone missing at Little Bay Beach at Arakoon near South West Rocks on the NSW Mid North Coast. (Sophia McCaughan: ABC Mid North Coast)

‘Tragic’ start to summer

This latest incident comes after the death of a 59-year-old man who drowned at Racecourse Beach, near Crescent Head on Friday.

That November 28 fatality came only a day after a Swiss woman died and a man was severely injured during a shark attack at Crowdy Bay, located in the south of the NSW Mid North Coast. 

“Summer has started with a bit of a tragic flurry,” CEO Surf Life Saving NSW Steven Pearce said.

“It’s been a very difficult 48 hours for the first responders.

“It does show the dangers of swimming outside of those red and yellow flags where there are no lifesavers.”

Surf Life Saving NSW is urging people to swim at patrolled beaches where there are lifesavers on duty.

Just after dark on November 23, an 18-year-old man drowned after being swept out to sea at Soldiers Beach on the NSW Central Coast.

Riahne Louie Vasquez was standing on a sandbank in front of the surf club when it collapsed, creating a rip that led to his drowning.