One person has died after a rock fishing incident in Tathra around 1.10pm.
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Five people were reportedly swept off the rocks by dangerous seas while fishing near Kianinny Bay in Tathra with both the Westpac Surf Rescue and the Snowy Hydro Southcare Helicopters attending.
Local commercial fisherman Shane Babington said he heard cries for help from his house and ran down to the rocks to get a look.
“Four guys were swept off the rocks into the water, one guy made it back up the rocks on his own, but there were three left in the water with one life jacket between them,” Mr Babington said.
He said he saw the people in the water and dashed up back up to the house to ring 000 before calling out to his neighbour Bill Aliendi.
The pair hitched up the boat and made a mad dash to the Kianniny boat ramp, where they were able to pick up two of the men from the water.
“It took us only a couple of minutes to get in the water and by the time we got there we could see two people in the water so we picked them up.” he said.
“They told me there was another person in the water.”
Tathra Lifesavers in IRBs arrived and aided in the search for the third man, but lifesavers found the man unconscious.
Mr Babington said the boats then raced to Kianinny where they were met by more lifesavers.
The lifesavers and paramedics provided CPR to the man, believed to be in his 50s, but he could not revived.
CPR was also performed on a second man, who lifesavers said responded well to this treatment.
A dangerous surf warning for deceptively powerful surf was issued yesterday and will remain in place for at least the remainder of Saturday.
Neither the deceased man or the other man requiring CPR were wearing a lifejacket at the time they were washed into the water, while their colleague who was pulled from the water uninjured did have one on.
After being assessed by Paramedics two of the patients were later transported to hospital for further treatment.
Mr Babington said he couldn’t have made the rescue without his neighbour’s help.
“I wouldn't have been able to do what i did without Bill,” he said.
The lifesavers involved will participate in a critical debrief as per standard operating procedures, and a report will also be prepared for the NSW Coroner.