A Perth father has died at a popular beach in Western Australia after he swam out trying to help his teenage children.
St John Ambulance paramedics received a call at 5:30pm on Saturday to attend Yallingup Beach, three hours south of Perth.
Police say the 55-year-old man from Morley in Perth noticed his two teenage boys struggling in the water when he decided to swim out and assist.
South West WA Acting Superintendent John Bouwman said it was a tragic incident.
"To him, they looked like they were struggling in the water, and unfortunately, he drowned trying to save them," he said.
"Like most parents do, they go to the aid of their kids when they're struggling, thinking they can save them.
He said beachgoers and paramedics unsuccessfully tried to revive the man for more than half an hour.
Acting Superintendent Bouwman said swimming inexperience played a role in the incident.
"The boys were just swimming straight off the beach like everybody else. They weren't doing anything stupid," he said.
"I think it's inexperience in the water. A lot of people still don't have those swimming lessons as a kid.
"And the dad had no real swimming experience."
The two teenage sons were uninjured and made it to shore safely.
'Respect the ocean'
Surf Life Saving WA general manager Chris Peck offered his condolences to the family and didn't want to comment directly on the incident but made a general plea to the public as summer approaches.
"We do have a bit of a mantra in our organisation, that's whether you're boating, swimming or surfing, it's called respecting the ocean and understanding what the conditions are going to be like," Mr Peck said.
"We would say to people that if you're in an unfamiliar area, and you're not sure about your own capability then make a decision perhaps to not to go out in those particular areas.
"Everyone stay safe this summer and get some information and just have a think about what you're doing before you go into the water, that'd be our message."
Lifesavers conduct patrols at Yallingup Beach in the warmer months but due to the lateness of the incident, lifeguards were not present.
"There are not going to be patrols at six o'clock at night," Mr Peck said.
"There is a limit in terms of how far you can spread your resources because there's 13,000 kilometres of coastline from a West Australian perspective that we have to try to get across."
