An off-duty police sergeant has tragically died after rescuing his son from a riptide in New South Wales.
A riptide, or rip current, is a specific kind of water current that can occur near beaches, flowing away from the shore and out toward the ocean.
The police sergeant, 45, was able to save his teenage son, but tragically was caught in the current himself, which occurred on Bogola Beach, near Narooma.
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Emergency services were called to the scene on Sunday afternoon and CPR was performed, but sadly the officer could not be saved.
“From what I understand, he was able to push his son out of the rip, and then he was obviously taken further out to sea in the rip,” said New South Wales acting inspector Paul Hoyer.
“This is a tragedy that will cut through his family, his friends, his workmates. It’s devastating. As a father, a parent and as a police officer, he’s obviously doing what he should be doing.”
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The man was on holiday with his family when the accident occurred.
The particular incident occurred on a stretch of beach that isn't patrolled but emergency services responded quickly and a helicopter was sent out.
Sadly, it's not the only incident to have occurred in New South Wales this week.
A man in his twenties tragically drowned on Monday while swimming in Byron Bay.
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First responders were called to New Brighton Beach just after 1:00pm and CPR was performed, but the 27-year-old man did not survive.
The RNLI explain that rips are strong currents which can quickly drag people out to sea.
"They tend to flow at 1–2mph but can reach 4–5mph, which is faster than an Olympic swimmer," they explain.
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"Rips are especially powerful in larger surf, but never underestimate the power of any water. They are also found around river mouths, estuaries and man-made structures like piers and groynes."
Rips can be very difficult to spot, but are sometimes identified by a 'channel of churning, choppy water on the sea's surface'.
"The best way to avoid rips is to choose a lifeguarded beach and always swim between the red and yellow flags, which have been marked based on where is safer to swim in the current conditions," the RNLI advises.
"This also helps you to be spotted more easily, should something go wrong."
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If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677
Lucy Devine