A British married couple have drowned at a popular beach on the New South Wales coast in Australia.
They ran into difficulty while swimming at Shellharbour Beach, about 70 miles (114km) south of Sydney, shortly after 11am (local time) on Wednesday.
The 66-year-old man and 64-year-old woman were pulled from the water by members of the public, who performed CPR, before paramedics arrived.
Despite their efforts, the pair could not be revived and died at the scene, NSW Police said.
The couple had been visiting family in the Illawarra region.
Inspector Luke Geradts said some of the couple’s relatives were with them at the beach.
“This is a timely reminder of the dangers and unpredictability of the ocean,” he said.
“This is a tragic incident, and our hearts go out to the family who lost their loved ones today.”
Inspector Geradts praised the actions of two off-duty nurses and a young man who ran to the couple’s rescue, recovering them from the water and giving them the “best chance of survival”.
“Although a tragic outcome today, their efforts are to be commended,” he said.
He said the conditions in the surf had been “rough” and police believe the couple were caught in a rip current.
“We really want to encourage people to swim between the flags… because if you do get into trouble it’s going to give yourself the best chance,” he said.
“Every time we go to one of these incidents, a family has lost a loved one, and that’s what’s so hard about it, for a family to lose a loved one,” he added.
A report on the couple’s death will be prepared for the coroner.
A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office said: “We are supporting the family of two British nationals who have died in New South Wales and are in contact with local authorities.”
Deaths from drowning have occurred across Australia‘s coastline over the summer, with 50 recorded in coastal waters between 1 December and 2 March, according to Surf Life Saving Australia.
