The distraught family of an 11-year-old boy who was feared drowned after being swept out to sea have thanked the community for the search being called off for a second night.
The boy had been with his father, 43, and younger siblings, aged nine, seven and three, on a fishing trip at The Entry on the New South Wales Central Coast on Sunday.
It is understood the boy was walking with a camp chair on his back as the family crossed a notorious canal, he reported. The daily telegraph.
Witnesses recalled seeing the father helping his younger children cross the canal while his older son walked behind them.
The 11-year-old boy was swept into the ocean by the strong outgoing tide.
It is not known if the missing boy knew how to swim.
“We heard screams and we looked and saw a man running through the water,” Sarah Bailey said. 7 news.
‘And then we saw a little boy in the waves with his arm raised.
The distraught father is seen hugging his youngest son shortly after the eldest was swept out to sea on Sunday afternoon.
The extensive search and rescue operation (pictured) was suspended shortly after 4pm on Monday, but will resume at first light on Tuesday morning.
“I was really struggling.”
Another witness, Gary Phillis, said the boy “disappeared in a couple of seconds” and that his father was “hysterical.”
Two bystanders helped care for the man’s youngest children while he desperately tried to rescue his son.
The distraught father was later photographed sitting on the sand hugging his youngest son tightly as he was comforted.
It is understood the mother had not gone fishing but traveled to the Central Coast with family and friends on Monday when the search resumed.
The family told Seven News on Monday they would “like to thank the community, residents and locals” for their support and assistance during “this extremely difficult time”.
Despite the exhaustive search for the missing boy, he has not been located, but his family has not stopped searching for him.
Police divers found the boy’s chair, towel and esky before the search was called off shortly after 4pm on Monday.
The search will resume again Tuesday morning.
In a heartbreaking twist, the boy was swept out to sea less than 20 minutes after life-saving volunteers finished their patrols for the day.
The canal at The Entry is a notorious danger spot as shifting sands push strong currents out to sea (pictured)
Tuggerah Lakes Inspector David Piddington told media on Monday that NSW Police has a specialist family liaison officer assisting the family.
“The family is very distraught and, as I said, our family liaison officer and chaplains are very supportive and we will help them as much as we can,” he said.
The family has an Arabic-speaking background, prompting calls for warning signs in multiple languages for people visiting areas across the country who may not be aware of hidden dangers.
The Entrance Channel is one of the most dangerous places in the region due to tidal changes that send strong currents out to sea.