BY JESSICA ROUSE
The Hunter’s Westpac Rescue Helicopter has rescued a man from Snapper Point after he jumped off the rocks and was swept into a cave.
The 18-year-old was with a large group of people who were all jumping off the rocks, but he got into difficulty and was swept away just after 11 this morning.
A paramedic was winched into the water and rescued him – they were both winched back up into the helicopter.
The man escaped without any injuries.
Two other men, aged 18, were also in trouble but managed to get themselves back onto land.
NSW Ambulance Duty Operations Manager Howard Russell says it’s a really notorious spot for fishermen getting into trouble.
“Over the years we have been called there numerous times for similar cases where people get themselves into trouble in the water or just exploring around the rocks – it’s very unpredictable, especially in condition like this the well can pick up pretty quickly and you can get yourself into a lot of strife.”
The stretch of coastline in the Munmorah State Conservation Area is notorious for taking the lives of many rock fisherman. One man died in 2010 while rock fishing at Snapper Point, another man met the same fate in November 2011 and not even a year later in June 2012 another fisherman tragically died.