Australia has a tragic beginning to the long Easter weekend as the death toll from the powerful waves rises to five.
According to BBC, on Saturday, April 19, 2025, a 58-year-old fisherman’s body was found in the water near Tathra in Southern New South Wales, marking the fifth death from the ongoing hazardous coast conditions.
Two other men were found dead and one is missing in separate incidents in New South Wales, while two, including a woman, are also missing in Victoria state.
Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan expressed her sadness on the “awful start" to the Easter weekend and said, “My thoughts are with the family of someone who has lost their life in such tragic circumstances, and potentially there is more difficult news to come.”
Life Saving NSW manager Brent Manieri noted, “All these drownings could have been preventable if people had taken the time to observe conditions. And ideally, had stayed away from the coastline whilst this swell impacted New South Wales.”
The Bureau of Meteorology’s Helen Reid said that from Byron towards Eden, including Sydney, the waves are sitting between 2.5 and 3 metres, which is significant wave height, while on Good Friday, waves reached a height of 4.5 to 5.5 metres along some parts of the coast.
Search for the missing people continued as the lifesavers advised people to stay away from the coastline and take precautions.
