A nurse was camping with her husband and two sons when she tragically drowned on a remote beach.
Yuliya Pashkovska, 43, was caught in a rip while swimming at Pebbly Beach on the NSW south coast at around 1pm on Tuesday.
A nearby surfer and bodyboarder rushed to Ms Pashkovska, pulled her onto the surfboard and attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
A team of Westpac rescue helicopters hoisted her to shore where paramedics desperately tried to resuscitate Ms Pashkovska, but she could not be saved.
She leaves behind her husband Oleg and their two sons, Markian, 13, and Vitaly, 11.
Ms Pashkovska was a nurse who emigrated to Australia from Ukraine in 2005 to pursue work as a junior doctor and was “well-liked” by her colleagues.
Yuliya Pashkovska, 43, drowned at Pebbly Beach on the NSW south coast at 1pm on Tuesday.
Ms. Pashkovska leaves behind her husband, Oleg, and their two sons, Markian, 13, and Vitaly, 11.
“It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we come to you to announce the terrible news of the unexpected loss of a dear member of our community,” wrote Alena Chouvaeva, a family friend. GoFundMe created to provide for the needs of Mrs. Pashkovska’s family.
“On Tuesday mid-morning, she went swimming at Pebbly Beach and encountered unexpected violent waves and difficulty in the water, even though she was a competent swimmer.
“Yuliya…has always done her best for her patients, her colleagues and the wider Illawarra community. She always devoted her time and care to others.
Ms Pashkovska worked as a nurse at Wollongong Hospital and ‘dedicated her time and care to others’ the Illawarra community.
Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District chief executive Margot Mains expressed sadness at Ms Pashkovska’s sudden death.
“The Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District was shocked and saddened to learn of the death of beloved Wollongong Hospital nurse Yuliya Pashkovska,” Ms Mains said in a statement.
One of the surfers who pulled her out of the water, Tim, told ABC that he was staying in a nearby home when a woman knocked on his door to tell him that a swimmer was in trouble
“I ran to the beach with my brother, my dad and my dad’s board,” he said.
“It took me 10 to 15 minutes to paddle over to her.”
The location of Pebbly Beach in New South Wales
Officers from South Coast Police District will prepare a report for the coroner.
Ms Pashkovska’s death marks the 40th coastal drowning in the state this year.
This follows two years of increased drowning rates, with 48 deaths occurring between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023, and 52 people dying during the same period between 2021 and 2022.
The NSW Government will convene an expert roundtable bringing together rescue groups, government agencies, water safety experts and NSW Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib to plan a response to the alarming statistics.
Participants will discuss the latest research on beach safety, how messages can target communities most at risk – such as culturally and linguistically diverse groups – and consider whether more resources should be deployed to unpatrolled beaches where several deaths occurred this summer.
In January, Michael Sneddon, 39, a Central Coast native and father of six, drowned at Ettalong Beach, an unpatrolled beach near Woy Woy, while trying to save his son from a rip.
Ms Pashkovska’s death marked the 40th coastal drowning in the state this year (pictured, Pebbly Beach)