Another lost at danger spot

12.05.2010

A NOTORIOUS fishing spot south of Lake Macquarie has claimed another victim.

An aerial search recovered the body of a fisherman yesterday, who had been swept off rocks at Snapper Point, near Frazer park, in the Munmorah State Conservation area.

The man, aged in his 50s, was found about two kilometres south of the point and 500 metres off shore about 1pm.

He was not wearing a life jacket.

The search began when the man's family told police he had failed to return home from fishing earlier that morning.

His fishing gear was found on a rock ledge at the point.

It follows the death of Alaskan youth worker Jeremy Earnshaw at the same spot in June 2008.

Mr Earnshaw and a friend were sitting on rocks at the point when a freak wave pulled them into the water.

His friend managed to stay afloat with the help of a floatation device that sits permanently near the rocks, while Mr Earnshaw failed to resurface.

In the past 23 months at least eight people have fallen into the water or encountered trouble at Snapper Point, which is known to be extremely dangerous during rough seas.

It has prompted a warning from Surf Life Saving NSW, which said the latest incident at Snapper Point had highlighted the inherent risks of rock fishing.

"This time of year is when we often see an increase in the number of drownings due to rock fishing and we cannot stress enough the importance of making sure you take some basic safety precautions," Surf Life Saving NSW spokesman Dean Storey said.