Clovelly Beach: Woman drowns near Gordons Bay in Sydney’s eastern suburbs

Paramedics are trying to revive a woman believed to have drowned on a popular Sydney beach.

The woman, in her 50s, was pulled unconscious from the water near Clovelly Beach and paramedics are now performing CPR on her, NSW Ambulance confirmed.

NSW Police officers were spotted at the scene in Gordon’s Bay.

A witness said police arrived at the scene around 1:30 p.m.

“There was a riot down there in a cave and then the police came and they took someone up on the rocks and we saw them doing CPR,” Ellie Shephard said.

“I think they did CPR for about 15 minutes, 20 minutes and then they stopped after that and we were asked to come off the rocks.”

The woman is believed to have been at Gordon’s Bay near Clovelly Beach in Sydney’s eastern suburbs on Monday

A rescue helicopter was seen at the scene of the drowning as paramedics worked frantically to revive her

Monday’s incident comes after it was revealed that NSW had carried out a “staggering” 1,200 rescues by surf lifesavers over Christmas and New Year, the highest number on record in the past five years.

Lifeguards and lifeguards performed 56,470 preventive actions and were involved in 85 emergencies, another record in the last five years.

The drowning came just days after an off-duty police officer died trying to save his teenage son on a NSW beach on New Year’s Day.

Peter Stone, 45, died on Bogola Beach near Narooma while trying to rescue his son from a rift.

Lifeguards rushed to the unattended beach in an inflatable lifeboat, but he could not be resuscitated despite performing CPR.

At least 30 people have drowned in the country’s waterways so far this summer, 11 of them in NSW, according to Royal Lifesaving Australia’s drowning death toll.

Beachgoers gaped as the emergency unfolded before their eyes

Police and paramedics climbed over the rocks near Gordons Bay to help the woman

“We are reminding people of the power of the marine environment and how quickly things can change, which is why it is so important to swim in a patrolled location and between the red and yellow flags,” said Surf Life Saving NSW Director Joel Wiseman said.

“When you get caught in a fast current, staying calm and conserving your energy is a top priority. Attract the attention of a lifeguard or lifeguard and wait to be rescued. If you’re a good swimmer, you can escape the rift by swimming parallel to the shore.’

There’s more to come.