00:00Well, it's been a horror 48 hours on the New South Wales coast amid hazardous surf conditions.
00:08Two women and a man have so far died, while searches remain ongoing for two more people who are currently missing off Sydney beaches.
00:16On Thursday afternoon, a 45-year-old woman died at Dunbogan Beach in Camden Haven on the mid-north coast in a suspected drowning.
00:25Emergency services were also called to Maroubra Beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs at about 4am on Thursday following reports a woman had been swept into the ocean.
00:35Authorities say the 25-year-old, who has been identified as a Chinese national, had been hit by a wave and knocked into a tidal pool before swells carried her further into the ocean.
00:46A multi-agency search located the woman's body about an hour later.
00:51Meanwhile, a search is still underway for a swimmer believed to be missing at Coogee Beach.
00:56It's a multi-agency effort with police boats, jet skis and drones scouring the coast.
01:02The alarm was raised at about 6am yesterday when a man believed to be in his 20s got into trouble in the water.
01:09He was with two other men who were rescued by off-duty surf lifesavers.
01:13The third man went underwater and is yet to be located.
01:17Surf lifesaving NSW personnel and emergency services remain at the scene with Coogee Beach closed as the search efforts continue.
01:25A hazardous surf warning for Sydney's beaches has now been cancelled but large swells have so far hampered search efforts.
01:32Today, there's a hazardous surf warning for the majority of the NSW coastline, which means the majority of those coastal beaches will be closed.
01:40So, but you know, that is supposed to be abating over the next 24 hours.
01:44So hopefully, you know, those beaches will reopen.
01:47But again, you know, we are really urging people, you've got to look for those red and yellow flags and you must look for those lifeguards and lifesavers
01:54because if they can see you on the beach and if they can see you in the water, well then they can save you if you do get in distress.
02:00A search has also resumed for a 14 year old boy who has been missing since the boat he was in capsized at the northern end of Palm Beach in Sydney's North on New Year's Eve.
02:10One man died at the scene while another was hospitalized after clamoring onto nearby rocks.
02:16It's been a difficult start to the year for surf lifesaving NSW who say there have been around 85 rescues since Christmas Day,
02:25with this year's drowning toll a stark increase on the year before.
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