Six Drowning Deaths as Huge Waves Hit Australian Coast

 Large waves are seen on Tamarama Beach in Sydney on April 18, 2025, amid powerful swells hitting Australia's east coast. (AFP)
Large waves are seen on Tamarama Beach in Sydney on April 18, 2025, amid powerful swells hitting Australia's east coast. (AFP)
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Six Drowning Deaths as Huge Waves Hit Australian Coast

 Large waves are seen on Tamarama Beach in Sydney on April 18, 2025, amid powerful swells hitting Australia's east coast. (AFP)
Large waves are seen on Tamarama Beach in Sydney on April 18, 2025, amid powerful swells hitting Australia's east coast. (AFP)

A fisherman died after being swept off rocks near Sydney on Sunday, stretching the Easter weekend death toll of drownings to six as huge waves battered Australia's east coast.

Emergency services winched two people from the surf at Wattamolla Beach, but one of them couldn't be revived, New South Wales Police said in a statement.

The pair had been fishing when swept off rocks on the outskirts of southern Sydney.

The second person, a 14-year-old boy, was in a stable condition in hospital.

It continued a run of fatalities over the holiday weekend, with the search ongoing for two other people still missing in the surf since Friday -- one off Sydney and one off Melbourne.

Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) issued a warning on Thursday that strong swells would create hazardous surf conditions along the coasts of New South Wales and Victoria.

Three people drowned on Friday in New South Wales, while a woman died and a man went missing after they were swept into the sea near Melbourne.

On Saturday, when swells were as high as 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) in some places, a fisherman was swept to his death off rocks in southern New South Wales.

SLSA had released data before the weekend showing 630 people had died at beaches without an active lifesaving service over the last 10 years.

Chief executive Adam Weir advised patrolled beaches should be prioritized for safety.

"We know that Aussies and visitors to our country like to go off the beaten track to enjoy camping, fishing and other coastal activities," Weir said in a statement.

"But these coastal locations can present dangers, some that you can see and some that you can't, which is why we have some simple advice: Stop, Look, Stay Alive."



1 Killed and 19 Injured as Hot Air Balloons Crash in Central Türkiye

Sight-seeing hot air balloons launch in Göreme Historical National Park in the Cappadocia region, Nevsehir, central Türkiye, Aug. 24, 2022. (AFP)
Sight-seeing hot air balloons launch in Göreme Historical National Park in the Cappadocia region, Nevsehir, central Türkiye, Aug. 24, 2022. (AFP)
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1 Killed and 19 Injured as Hot Air Balloons Crash in Central Türkiye

Sight-seeing hot air balloons launch in Göreme Historical National Park in the Cappadocia region, Nevsehir, central Türkiye, Aug. 24, 2022. (AFP)
Sight-seeing hot air balloons launch in Göreme Historical National Park in the Cappadocia region, Nevsehir, central Türkiye, Aug. 24, 2022. (AFP)

Two hot air balloons crashed in central Türkiye on Sunday, leaving one person dead and 19 injured, according to local media reports.

The accident occurred near the Ihlara Valley in Aksaray province, the private Ilhas News Agency and other outlets said. It was not immediately clear why the hot air balloons crashed.

Hot air ballooning is a popular tourist activity over the rugged landscape of central Türkiye, which is dotted with ancient churches hewn into cliff faces. The attractions include the “fairy chimneys” of Cappadocia, tall, cone-shaped rock formations created by natural erosion over thousands of years that are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Video from Ilhas showed one deflated balloon, its passenger basket lying on its side, as emergency services tended to injured people.