Three people have died after being swept into the water at a popular lookout on New South Wales’ Illawarra region.
The men were three of five people to be knocked off the rocks at Hill 60, near Port Kembla, on Friday night.
Police were told by onlookers that the group were caught off-guard by a large wave which knocked them down.
Newsletters: Breaking news as it happens. Subscribe now 
Two were able to swim back to shore but three drowned.
They have since been identified as three men, aged 45, 49 and 69.
Search teams continued to scour the water on Saturday morning in case there were more people in the water.
However, police say no official missing person reports have been made.
Assistant Superintendent Gordon Dunlop told reporters conditions were dangerous.
“I believe five went into the water,” he said.
“Two made it to land safely which then gave us the three gentleman that were located deceased.
“On a lot of occasions, on that rock platform you can get people which aren’t across fishing on those vantage points and how weather can change pretty quickly.”
Surf Life Saving NSW CEO Steven Pearce said it was a confronting scene for first responders.
“[This is] just an absolutely horrible way to start the long weekend,” he told Weekend Sunrise.
He also referred to a fourth missing person in Coffs Harbour who was swept off the pathway near the southern break wall.
The 20-year-old man was reportedly struck by a large wave on Thursday afternoon and swept out to sea.
Searches are ongoing but have so far been fruitless.
Hours before the Port Kembla incident, a rock fisher was left fighting for life at Wattamolla after also being swept off rocks.
In that incident, police were called to the Royal National Park on reports a 24-year-old man was washed off rocks.
He was pulled from the water about an hour after police arrived and taken to hospital in a critical condition.
It prompted a warning from police to for rock fishers to always wear a life jacket and observe the weather conditions.
Stream free on
