Authorities are reminding people to exercise safety in the water these Easter holidays after a woman from the ACT drowned and three others were taken to hospital following an incident at an unpatrolled beach on the NSW far south coast.
Emergency services were called to Surf Beach, south of Batemans Bay, at 2pm on Sunday after reports of a group of swimmers being in distress.
Surf life saving members and witnesses entered the water after noticing the group of people in distress and brought 10 people back to shore.
The incident led to the death of a 41-year-old woman from Canberra.
Director of Surf Life Saving Far South Coast, Cheryl McCarthy, said it was a tragic event.
"It's definitely tough for everyone who was involved yesterday and all the people down at the beach who witnessed that."
The 41-year-old was given CPR and treated at the scene before being airlifted to Batemans Bay Hospital. However, she died a short time later.
Three other swimmers, two men and a woman, were also taken to Batemans Bay Hospital, with one man airlifted to Canberra Hospital.
One patient at Batemans Bay Hospital has been discharged and the other is in a stable condition.
Officers from South Coast Police District said other swimmers were assessed at the scene and did not require hospitalisation.
Westpac Rescue and Surf Life Saving Australia helicopters conducted an overhead search of the beaches to ensure no one else required assistance.
The incident comes after a rock fisherman from Canberra was rescued just south of Batemans Bay on Thursday after being swept off the rocks.
Ms McCarthy said it was important people check the conditions when visiting local beaches.
"The wind can come up, the swell can pick up.
"So [the conditions] you have in the morning could change after lunch."
NSW Police have commenced inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the incident and a report will be prepared for the coroner.
