Five killed as huge waves hit Australia coast

Five people have died and two others remain missing after powerful waves struck Australia’s eastern coastline at the start of the Easter weekend.

Emergency services confirmed that the body of a man was recovered on Saturday near Tathra in southern New South Wales, following a series of deadly incidents across the state. 

This came a day after the deaths of a 58-year-old fisherman and two other men in separate coastal emergencies, also in New South Wales.

Search operations are ongoing for a man who was swept into the sea near Sydney. Meanwhile, in Victoria, a woman drowned and a man remains missing after their group was dragged into the water at San Remo on Friday.

“One of the women managed to make her way back to shore but the other woman and the man were unable to,” Victoria police said.

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Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan described the events as an “awful start” to the holiday period. “My thoughts are with the family of someone who has lost their life in such tragic circumstances, and potentially there is more difficult news to come,” she said.

According to the BBC, large swells have battered the coasts of New South Wales and Victoria, with authorities warning of ongoing risks along unpatrolled beaches.

Adam Weir, head of Surf Life Saving Australia, urged beachgoers to choose locations monitored by lifeguards. 

He cited alarming statistics that show 630 people have drowned at unpatrolled beaches over the past decade.

“But these coastal locations can present dangers, some that you can see and some that you can’t, which is why we have some simple advice: Stop, Look, Stay Alive,” Weir said.

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