Surf Life Saving NSW is trialling new Artificial Intelligence (AI) camera technology to help prevent rock fishing tragedies at some of the state’s highest-risk coastal locations.
The SAIL Project (Surveillance AI for Lifesaving) harnesses AI to improve coastal safety by detecting incidents in real time and alerting rescuers sooner, extending lifesaving capability beyond the red and yellow patrol flags.
The trial, jointly funded by the NSW and Federal Governments, uses AI-enabled cameras to identify when someone is washed off the rocks or enters the water unexpectedly and alerts lifesavers and emergency services.
Cameras capture continuous video feeds and when AI identifies an emergency event, the SLSNSW State Operations Centre (SOC) is alerted who then task the closest, most appropriate rescue resource to respond.
Post-incident data will be used to refine the AI model, effectively training the technology to detect people in trouble as it happens.
A 14-month trial is underway at two high-risk coastal sites: Little Bay and Kiama Blowhole. These locations were selected based on incident data and their complex hazard profiles.
In the last 10 years there were eight rock fishing drowning deaths in the Randwick LGA, with five of them occurring at Little Bay.
Already the trial has resulted in the dramatic rescue of two fishermen swept off rocks during a heavy swell at Malabar, with a jet ski dispatched to pull them from the water after cameras identified them falling in.
Thankfully both men were wearing lifejackets, which is mandatory in the Randwick LGA.
“This trial uses AI technology to support the work of our lifesavers – if it can help us respond faster to prevent tragedies it is worth exploring. This is a great example of how our emergency services are harnessing new technology to protect communities,” said Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib.
“Both Kiama and Little Bay have sadly seen too many heartbreaking incidents. By working with Surf Life Saving NSW, we’re taking practical steps aimed at making the NSW coastline safer – and already, we are seeing lives saved.”
Federal Member for Kingsford Smith, Matt Thistlethwaite agrees:
“Little Bay is home to one of the most dangerous stretches of coastline in Australia. Eight people have drowned on this coastline in the last decade, and all of them have been rock fishing.”
“Little Bay has sadly been the site of so many rock fishing accidents and emergencies attended by our lifesavers and callout teams,” said Surf Life Saving NSW CEO Steve Pearce.
“Using AI to detect when someone gets washed off the rocks and being able to keep them in sight once in the water means we can respond so much sooner to perform a rescue.
Thursday 27 November 2025