A 50-year-old father has drowned while rescuing his 13-year-old son from a rip during a family holiday on a NSW lower north coast beach.

The teen was able to reach safety after his dad raced to his rescue at unpatrolled Boomerang Beach on Tuesday afternoon.

After rescuing his son, the man began to struggle and was pulled from the water by members of the public and a former surf lifesaver, who attempted CPR without success.

Andy Kent, NSW Lifesaving Manager, said the 28 coastal deaths in NSW this year alone, represented a significant spike that is a worrying development for lifesavers.

“It’s very sad to see another drowning occur on the NSW coastline, and again at an unpatrolled beach,” he said.  “Many beaches are patrolled throughout the school holidays by professional lifeguards and we implore families and holidaymakers to head to one of these locations.”

 

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