Man drowns at popular surf spot after being pulled unconscious on the water
- Man drowns at popular surf town of Crescent Head
- Aged in his 50s, was pulled from the surf
- 51 people have died Australia-wide
A Queensland man has died at a beach near popular NSW surf town Crescent Head – taking the summer’s national drowning toll to 51.
The man, believed to be in his 50s, was pulled unconscious from the water at Delicate Nobby about 5pm on Tuesday, police said on Wednesday.
Members of the public performed CPR until the police and paramedics arrived but the man died at the scene.
He is yet to be formally identified but is believed to be a Queensland man aged in his 50s.
An aerial view over Crescent Head itself – with the major surf breaks to the north
The death is the 20th in NSW and 51st nationally since December 1, according to Royal Life Saving’s summer drowning toll.
Three in every four deaths have been men or boys.
It comes as Surf Life Saving Australia warns the risk of drowning on the Australia Day public holiday is four times higher than on any other day of the year.
SLSA chief executive Adam Weir suggested increased danger was borne of factors including increased alcohol consumption and crowded beaches, which led people to seek out unfamiliar locations.
“We have lost 28 people along our coastline this summer alone, with all drowning deaths occurring outside the red and yellow flags, either at unpatrolled locations or outside of patrol hours,” Mr Weir said.
Rip currents are the biggest concern and are believed to have contributed to at least half of the drowning deaths over the holiday period.
Seventy-five drownings were recorded nationally between December 1 and January 24 last summer.
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