A teen who vanished after he was swept out to sea at an unpatrolled beach during a Schoolies Week trip has been identified.
Authorities suspended the search for Astin Gerstl, 18, on Tuesday, two days after he became caught in a rip at Little Bay Beach on the NSW Mid North Coast on Sunday.
Astin had just finished his HSC at The King’s School in Parramatta in Sydney‘s west and was on a Schoolies trip with friends when tragedy struck.
It’s understood that he was a boarder at the school and is the grandson of former Supreme Court Justice Roddy Meagher, who died in 2011.
‘I am afraid that I must confirm that the missing boy is a member of this year’s graduating class at King’s,’ acting headmaster Stephen Edwards said.
‘Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this profoundly difficult time.
‘The school is in contact with the family and will continue to provide support, while respecting their request for privacy.
‘I ask that you keep the family in your prayers and hold them in your hearts.’
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Astin Gerstl had just completed his HSC at The King’s School when he was swept out to sea on Sunday
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Marine Rescue NSW vessels spent two days searching for the teen without any success
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Volunteer crews and vessels were on the water in search of the missing teen
Support services have been made available to students.
Marine Rescue NSW vessels searched waters from Laggers Point to Gap Beach for almost eight hours on Monday.
Deteriorating offshore conditions forced authorities to suspend the search on Tuesday.
Little Bay Beach is a popular picnic spot but is not patrolled or recommended for swimming, according to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
It’s the third tragedy on the NSW Mid North Coast in the last week.
Swiss tourist Livia Mühlheim, 25, was killed in a shark attack at Kylie’s Beach last Thursday. Her partner Lukas Schindler was also injured in the attack but survived.
A man, 59, drowned near Crescent Head last Friday.
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