Six Dead and Several Missing in Drownings on Australia’s East Coast

Six Lives Lost in Drowning Incidents Amidst Powerful Waves in Australia

This weekend, at least six people tragically lost their lives in drowning incidents across Australia, as enormous waves battered the East Coast, according to local authorities.

Emergency services endeavored to rescue two fishermen swept away by the waves at Wattamolla Beach. Unfortunately, one of the fishermen did not survive, despite ongoing resuscitation efforts. The second fisherman, a 14-year-old boy, was taken to the hospital and is currently reported to be in stable condition, as stated in a press release by the New South Wales police on Sunday.

On Saturday, wave heights reached up to 3.5 meters in some areas, resulting in another fisherman being swept away in southern New South Wales. In total, three drownings were confirmed in this state, with one more victim reported near Melbourne in the country’s southeast.

Additionally, two individuals have been missing at sea since Friday—one off the coast of Sydney and the other near Melbourne. Search operations are ongoing in hopes of locating them.

On Thursday, Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) had issued a warning regarding "dangerous" surf conditions due to high swells along the coastlines of New South Wales and Victoria.