POLICE resumed their search on Sunday, February 18 for a young man who went missing while swimming at Valla Beach.
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About 5.45pm Saturday, police and emergency services were called to the unpatrolled beach following reports a man had been swept out to sea.
Police have been told a group of people had been swimming, when a 22-year-old man became stuck in a rip.
Officers attached to Mid North Coast Police District with assistance from Westpac Rescue Helicopter, Marine Rescue and Surf Life Saving began a search of the area.
Due to conditions and low light, the search was postponed and recommenced at 6am Sunday.
Surf lifesavers are pleading with the public not to ignore safety warnings after recording one of their busiest days of the season on Saturday.
Powerful surf conditions caused chaos on the coast with multiple swimmers getting into difficulty at beaches up and down the NSW coast.
Despite the challenging swell, the crowds were undeterred with the heat prompting many to flock to the beach.
On top of the situation at Valla, elsewhere a 15-year-old is recovering in hospital after being pulled from the water by lifesavers at Kiama Beach at around 3pm on Saturday.
On Sunday, a 24-year-old man was pulled from the water at Hat Head near South West Rocks.
Two swimmers were rescued by surfers at Turimetta Beach, North Narrabeen, while a surfer was transported to hospital after swallowing water in an incident at South Narrabeen.
At Avoca Beach on the Central Coast there was a mass rescue carried out by lifesavers who utilised a jet ski and an inflatable rescue boat to pull 6 people from a rip current.
A hazardous surf warning remains in place with swells peaking over three metres expected along much of the NSW coast.
Beaches between the waters of the Lower North Coast through to the Queensland border in particular are likely to experience larger swells, but lifesavers are urging everyone regardless of where they are swimming to not get complacent.
“Please take note of the safety warnings and if you have any doubt whatsoever about your ability to handle the water it’s better not to go in,” said NSW Lifesaving manager Matt du Plessis.
