Despite the best efforts of emergency responders a young girl has been unable to be revived after being pulled from the water following a boating accident at Moruya on the state’s Far South Coast this morning. 


Shortly before 7am on Saturday the Surf Rescue State Operations Centre received reports of a small vessel capsized as it attempted to navigate the bar near the Moruya break wall. 



Emergency services including water police, paramedics, and the ambulance helicopter all raced to the scene where they were joined by local fishing boats and surf lifesavers. 



Surf lifesaving assets that responded were the Moruya SLSC inflatable rescue boat (IRB) and the Far South Coast support operations team and jetski which included club members from Broulee Surfers SLSC and Batemans Bay.



Once on-scene 6 people; two adults and four children were pulled from the water with one of the children understood to have suffered lower leg injuries.



During the rescue operation the responders were told that a young girl was unaccounted for. 



Following a search she was located by lifesaving personnel and was brought aboard the IRB where CPR was carried out by lifesavers, but unfortunately all efforts to revive her were unsuccessful. 



“Our thoughts go out to the family and to the rescuers who were involved in this extremely challenging and confronting situation faced by all this morning,” said SLSNSW

CEO Steven Pearce.



At the time of the incident conditions were challenging with a swell of up to two metres on the outgoing tide.



It is unclear if the boat’s occupants were wearing lifejackets.



The remaining members of the family have been transported to hospital.



General Safety Tips during Hazardous Surf Conditions:         




  • Avoid rock fishing and water activities on exposed beaches/rock-shelves

  • Only swim at patrolled beaches, between the red & yellow flags. See the BeachSafe website for patrolled locations/times          

  • Check the official Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) forecast before undertaking rock fishing and water activities  

  • Boaties should seek advice from Marine Rescue NSW and always wear a lifejacket 

  • If witnessing an in-water emergency dial Triple Zero – Police



 



Saturday 24 March 2018



 


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