A rock fisherman is lucky to be alive after his life jacket kept him afloat in heavy seas off the Kiama Blowhole on Sunday morning, in one of several dramatic water rescues across the Illawarra region over a scorching weekend.
Life Jacket Proves Critical in Kiama Blowhole Rescue
Emergency services, including surf lifesavers, lifeguards, police, and paramedics, were called to the Kiama Blowhole around 6:50am on Sunday, January 11, 2026, after a 29-year-old man was washed into the water.
The man, who was not a strong swimmer, was winched from the ocean 30 to 50 metres offshore by the TOLL Ambulance Rescue Helicopter crew. He escaped with only minor injuries.
Josh Douglas, Surf Life Saving NSW South Coast emergency coordinator, praised the fisherman's actions. He said the man did the right thing by floating out and waiting for help instead of attempting the dangerous climb back onto the rocks.
"People can get injured trying to climb out, which can be very difficult to do, especially at the blowhole," Mr Douglas said.
The incident underscores urgent safety warnings for rock fishers. In the past decade alone, seven people have died at Kiama. Authorities are currently trialling artificial intelligence cameras at known blackspots to alert emergency services the moment someone is washed in.
After-Hours Incidents Challenge Lifesavers in Wollongong
While most beachgoers heeded advice to swim between the flags on a searing Saturday, Surf Life Saving Illawarra crews were called to two significant after-hours rescues within the Wollongong local government area.
The first occurred around 6:30am at North Wollongong Beach, where three men in their late teens were caught in a rip at the beach's southern end. Off-duty lifesavers and members of the public successfully pulled the teenagers to safety. Paramedics assessed them at the scene, and no hospitalisation was required.
Thirteen hours later, at approximately 7:30pm, a more complex operation unfolded off Bellambi Beach. Two female paddleboarders were swept 100 metres offshore after being caught in a rip. When three men swam out to assist them, all five people found themselves in distress.
Lifesavers on emergency call-out duty responded using an inflatable rescue boat. Anthony Turner from Surf Life Saving Illawarra said strong southerly winds, fading light, and the number of people involved made the operation challenging. All five were brought ashore safely without needing medical attention.
A Week of Lucky Escapes Prompts Safety Plea
These weekend incidents follow a string of close calls in the Illawarra. Just days earlier, two children and a teenager were rescued in two separate incidents at Woonona, only 15 minutes apart and after patrol hours. The previous morning, two teenagers were pulled from a rip at Austinmer.
"It just highlights the inherent risks and dangers of swimming at unpatrolled beaches," Mr Turner emphasised.
He also advised that anyone using kayaks or paddleboards should wear a life jacket, a message echoed for rock fishers following the Kiama incident.
Despite council lifeguards being on duty at Wollongong beaches on Saturday, Surf Life Saving Illawarra supplemented patrols with extra lifesavers on jetskis conducting roving patrols of unpatrolled locations. These patrols warned swimmers of dangers and were involved in at least one rescue at an unpatrolled spot.
