Woman dies after wave sweeps her into surf while rock fishing on NSW South Coast

A woman has died after being swept into the surf by a wave while rock fishing on the NSW South Coast.

The 25-year-old woman was fishing with a 39-year-old man at North Durras Beach when the wave struck about 6pm on Saturday.

Emergency services were called after reports of two people in the water, with officers from South Coast Police District responding alongside NSW Ambulance paramedics, surf lifesavers, Fire and Rescue NSW and Marine Rescue.

Police have been told the man entered the surf to retrieve the woman but was unable to reach her and was washed back to shore.

A passing vessel later located the woman and its crew brought her back to shore.

Police confirmed neither person was wearing safety equipment at the time

The tragedy comes as authorities continue to warn of the dangers of rock fishing, with 11 rock fishing and rock platform-related drownings recorded across NSW in the 2025-26 financial year.

The NSW Government has warned fishers that waves can quickly sweep people from rock platforms and into the water.

Fishers are advised to always wear a life jacket, use appropriate non-slip footwear, and check weather and swell conditions before heading out.

Surf Life Saving NSW is running its Gone Fishing safety program again in 2026, which reached 20,000 people and distributed 1500 free life jackets in 2025, with a further nine workshops planned between now and March 2027.

The organisation is also trialling AI-powered surveillance cameras at Kiama Blowhole and Little Bay in Sydney as part of a 14-month project designed to detect when rock fishers fall into the water and automatically alert emergency services.

The technology could be set for a wider rollout at high-risk, unpatrolled locations.