Authorities have given a sad update on the search for an 18-year-old man who was swept out to sea at an unpatrolled NSW beach while on a schoolies trip.
Marine Rescue NSW has stood down its search for an 18-year-old boy who was swept out to sea from a NSW beach while celebrating the end of school with mates.
The young man went missing while swimming at Little Bay Beach at Arakoon on the Mid-North Coast about 4.20pm on Sunday afternoon.
A search failed to find him on Sunday and Monday.
On Tuesday, Marine Rescue NSW resumed searching for the missing man just before 8am.
However, deteriorating offshore conditions led the volunteer service to stand down at 10.30am.
Marine Rescue NSW suspended searching for the missing 18-year-old due to deteriorating offshore conditions.
“Our volunteer crews battled a 25 to 30-knot south-westerly and a 1.5m swell, which is increasing,” Marine Rescue NSW Inspector Courtney Greenslade said.
“It has become quite uncomfortable, making it extremely challenging for our volunteers.
“Both vessels have now left the main search area.”
NSW Police confirmed they were continuing their search on water and land where the boy was last seen.
A NSW Marine Rescue vessel looks for a schoolie lost off Little Bay Beach in Arakoon
On Monday, NSW Police Chief Inspector Mick Aldridge said the 18-year-old had been on a schoolies trip with friends to celebrate the end of HSC exams.
“Witnesses and bystanders tried to get to him, but he was dragged out to sea,” he told reporters.
“A member of the National Parks was also trying to get him out of the water.”
The area is not patrolled by lifesavers. The National Parks and Wildlife Service website says beaches in the Arakoon National Park “can have strong rip currents”.
The 18-year-old had been swimming with mates at Little Bay Beach, Arakoon when he went missing on Sunday afternoon.
It’s the latest tragedy on NSW beaches, following last week’s fatal shark attack at Crowdy Bay which left a Swiss tourist dead and her boyfriend severely injured.
On November 28, a 59-year-old man drowned at Racecourse Beach, near Crescent Head, while an 18-year-old man drowned after being swept out to sea at Soldiers Beach on the NSW Central Coast.
Riahne Louie Vasquez was standing on a sandbank in front of the surf club when it collapsed.
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