Man drowns while trying to help friends

January 9, 2005 - 6:20PM

A man has drowned off the NSW central coast trying to assist two friends who got into difficulties in the surf.

The NSW Ambulance Service said the man entered the water just before 3pm (AEDT) at North Avoca Beach, but was quickly swept out to sea.

About an hour later lifesavers and paramedics found his body washed up on the beach.

The dead man's friends managed to make it back to shore and were stabilised by ambulance officers before being taken to Gosford Hospital.

Yesterday, a 23-year-old Hornsby man drowned at one of Sydney's northern beaches.

The man left a family picnic to go for a swim at Dee Why beach about 2.15pm (AEDT) and about 40 minutes later lifeguards and a member of the public saw him floating in the water about five metres from shore.

The man was carried from the water where lifeguards began CPR but he was unable to be revived.