Coogee Beach, Maroubra drownings: Fully-clothed police officer charges into the surf as young man is swept out to sea - while woman's body washes up after rockpool incident
An urgent search is underway at Coogee Beach after a young man vanished in the surf early this morning, just hours after a woman's body washed up nearby.
- Man missing from Coogee Beach
- Woman's body discovered at Maroubra
By NICHOLAS COMINO, NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA
Published: 22:14 GMT, 31 December 2025 | Updated: 03:33 GMT, 1 January 2026
A search for a young man who vanished in the surf early on New Year's Day has been suspended while police wait for conditions to ease - as a cop is praised for charging into the surf fully clothed in a desperate bid to help him.
Emergency crews rushed to Coogee Beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs about 6am on Thursday after reports the swimmer, believed to be aged in his 20s, was in trouble in the water.
TV cameras captured a male police officer charging into the surf in his full uniform, clutching a flotation device in a bid to assist other swimmers in keeping the man afloat.
Tragically, the group was unable to bring the man to shore, and early on Thursday afternoon police announced the search for the man had been temporarily suspended due to weather conditions.
'That male went missing despite the courageous efforts of a police officer that ran to his aid and off-duty lifesavers that also entered the water," Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steven Pearce said.
Paramedics earlier this morning some onlookers for shock, with men and women seen hugging on the shoreline.
The drama unfolded only two hours after a separate deadly drowning incident at nearby Maroubra Beach, less than three kilometres away.
Around 4am, a 25-year-old woman was swept out to sea when a powerful wave knocked her from a tidal rock pool and dragged her into the ocean.
A police officer is seen running into the giant swell at Coogee Beach, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, fully clothed. He has been praised by colleagues and surf life savers for his efforts
A helicopter is seen over the eastern suburbs coast after two tragedies unfolded overnight
Police officers are seen speaking to beach-goers at Coogee on Thursday
An urgent search has been launched for a man missing at Coogee Beach
Her body was recovered about an hour later during an extensive search involving PolAir helicopters and Marine Area Command.
The body is yet to be formally identified, but police believe it is the missing woman.
Authorities are urging Aussies to stay away from Sydney's beaches on Thursday.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a hazardous surf warning for the coastline, advising swimmers to keep out of the water and avoid surf-exposed areas.