A woman has died at a popular Sydney beach after suffering a medical episode.
The 47-year-old woman was pulled from the water by three teen girls at Gordon’s Bay, near Clovelly Beach, about 1.40pm on Monday afternoon.
She was unable to be revived, a NSW Police statement said.
The 47-year-old had been swimming when she suffered a medical episode, police said.
Surf Lifesaving NSW said three young women – all aged under 16 – spotted the woman face down in the ocean.
They managed to pull her onto the rocks and performed CPR.
A woman has died at one of Sydney’s most popular beaches after being pulled unconscious from the water at Gordon’s Bay near Clovelly Beach
NSW Police say the 47-year-old was swimming when she suffered a medical episode
A rescue helicopter was seen at the site of the drowning as paramedics worked desperately to revive her
Lifeguards attended on a jetski a short time later and took over CPR.
After more than 30 minutes she was unable to be revived.
Surf Lifesaving NSW Sydney Branch Duty Officer Ben Henman said the young women did an exceptional job.
‘Three young girls pulled her in … and they did a fantastic job under the circumstances,’ Sydney Branch Duty Officer, Ben Hennan said.
Mr Hennan said the woman was pulled onto the rocks about halfway between the Clovelly and Gordon’s Bay access points.
‘It was hard to navigate on foot, so having the lifeguards there meant we could get there quite quickly as their access was via the water.
‘When NSW Ambulance arrived they utilised the Lucas Device (a mechanical CPR machine) on the patient but unfortunately, she was declared deceased on scene.’
A witness said police arrived at the scene at about 1:30pm.
‘There was a commotion in a cave down that way and then the police arrived and they brought someone higher up on the rocks and we saw them doing CPR,’ Ellie Shephard said.
‘I think they were doing CPR for like 15 minutes, 20 minutes and then they stopped after that and we were asked to come off the rocks.’
Beachgoers gawked as the emergency unfolded before their eyes
Police and paramedics scrambled over the rocks near Gordons Bay to assist the woman
Monday’s incident comes after it was revealed a ‘staggering’ 1200 rescues were completed in NSW by surf lifesavers over the Christmas and New Year period, the highest number recorded in the last five years.
Lifesavers and lifeguards performed 56,470 preventive actions and were involved in 85 emergency incidents, another record in the past five years.
It comes just days after an off-duty police officer died while trying to save his teenage son at an NSW Beach on New Year’s Day.
Peter Stone, 45, died at Bogola Beach near Narooma while trying to rescue his son from a rip.
Lifesavers rushed to the unpatrolled beach in an inflatable rescue boat but he could not be revived despite CPR being performed.
At least 30 people have died after drowning in the nation’s waterways so far this summer, 11 of which were in NSW, according to Royal Lifesaving Australia’s fatal drowning toll.
‘We are reminding people about the power of the ocean environment and of just how quickly things can change, which is why it is so important to swim at a patrolled location and between the red and yellow flags,’ Surf Life Saving NSW director Joel Wiseman said.
‘If you are caught in a rip current, the number one priority is to remain calm and conserve your energy. Attract the attention of a lifesaver or lifeguard and wait to be rescued. If you are a competent swimmer, you can escape the rip by swimming parallel to the shore.’
Monday’s drowning is the eighth coastal drowning of the summer and the 18th since July 1, 2022.
In NSW, drowning deaths are 2.7 times more likely to happen during a public holiday and 1.6 times more likely during school holidays.
