THE three-day search for a 20-year-old man missing at Gunamatta Beach was scaled back on Monday morning.
However, local police will continue assisting rescue services, including Life Saving Victoria and the police Air Wing to find the man, who is presumed drowned.
The man had been swimming with his 16-year-old brother at the notoriously dangerous beach when they both got into difficulties late afternoon Friday 6 January.
The boys’ father, who was watching his sons from the beach, swam out to help when he saw them struggling but soon got into trouble himself.
He and his 16-year-old son made it to shore with the help of locals and surf lifesavers, but his 20-year-old son could not be found.
Paramedics attended around 7pm and the father, believed to be in his 40s, and the 16-year-old, were taken to Frankston Hospital for observation in a stable condition.
The trio are believed to be holiday makers from North Melbourne who were staying locally.
BeachSafe describes Gunnamatta as a very exposed and high-energy beach, which has a “wide, rip-dominated surf zone”.
On 30 December, Surf Lifesaving Victoria had to rescue six people from the water at the beach.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 10 January 2023
