A 53-year-old man from the Wauchope area has died after being dragged from the surf at Shelly Beach.
The man was swimming with his 45-year-old partner just before 4pm on Saturday afternoon when witnesses called authorities, seeing the couple in distress.
Port Macquarie Police officers, Ambulance, Port Macquarie Marine Rescue and Port Macquarie Surf Life Saving Club volunteers attended the incident at the north end of the beach.
Police Inspector Paul Fuller said witnesses pulled the man and woman from “rough surf conditions” and commenced CPR.
They woman was revived and Ambulance crews took over CPR on arrival.
She was taken to Port Macquarie Base Hospital in a stable condition, however the male did not survive.
Marine Rescue’s Geoff Shelton said they received a callout at 4.01 and were on site in 19 minutes.
He said there were fears a third person was still in the surf, however a comprehensive search with SLSC volunteers showed no signs of another swimmer in distress.
Insp Fuller said this was the second fatal tragedy at Shelly Beach in less than a month.
He said swimmers should take on board warnings and swim at patrolled areas.
