The shocked mother of a father of six who drowned while trying to save his son on a beach in Australia's New South Wales state has urged families not to swim at unsupervised beaches.
Central Coast resident Michael Sneddon, a father of six, was with his 10-year-old son Cody at Ettalong Beach, about 164 feet (50 meters) offshore, when the crash reportedly occurred at 2 p.m. Around that time, the two were said to have been separated. Saturday morning, 1.30pm.
Family members said Sneddon tried to keep his son above the water until beachgoers rescued him with two jet skis.
However, Mr Sneddon was unable to be resuscitated by the Maritime Authority and emergency personnel.
Sneddon's mother, Lillian Sneddon-Camilleri, said her son was a “caring father” who “loved his son and his daughters.”
The devastated mother, who last spoke to Mr Sneddon on Friday to wish him a New Year's greeting, said she was still in shock after hearing the news.
“Michael was a hero to me. He was always helping people and was a good kid at school,” she said.
In light of the tragic incident, Camillieri urged families not to swim at unsupervised beaches like Ettalong Beach.
Lifesavers from nearby Ocean Beach and Umina Beach were dispatched to Ettalong on Saturday to assist in the rescue initiated by bystanders.
“He was a good son and I loved him. I hope other parents learn from this. Don't swim unsupervised, wear life jackets, etc. Please wear safety gear,” she said.
“I don't want other people to go through this.”
Sneddon's youngest brother, Antonio Sneddon, said he was loved by his large family, which included five siblings.
He said his family told him that Sneddon and Cody were standing on the sandboat when it collapsed, plunging them both into the water.
“It looks like Cody went in first and then Michael went in to save him,” Antonio said.
“We have information that Cody was clinging to his father and telling him to stay awake, but by the time they got him, unfortunately Michael had collapsed and the gash had taken him. I did.”
In a statement, the family thanked the emergency services who rushed to the scene and the bystanders on the beach who saved Cody.
It read, “He was a great brother and a great son to his mother and father. To his own children, he was a great father.”
“He is loved by his family and colleagues.
“The Sneddon family would like to thank everyone who was first on the scene and saved Michael's son.”
Mr Antonio said the family would invite representatives from NSW Ambulance or Lifesaving NSW to attend his brother's funeral for assistance on the day.
Witnesses at Ettalong Beach on Saturday said they initially thought it was some other type of emergency when they started hearing screams from the water's edge.
“They were screaming at us from the water…I think there might be a shark in the water,” one person said.
A father's death was marked 10 days in the Central Coast region after two men drowned on Christmas Day. One was a man in his 80s at Umina Beach and the other at Copacabana Beach.
NSW Surf Lifesaving has confirmed a total of nine deaths along the coast this summer alone.
Chief executive Steve Pearce said the incident was “devastating news” for the man's family and the wider community following two recent deaths.
“They need time to reflect on these events and grieve the death of their loved one. We ask the media to respect their privacy at this tragic time,” Pearce said.
Hundreds of local residents took to social media to express their condolences to the family and those involved in the rescue efforts.
NSW Surf Lifesaving Manager Oliver Manson said surf lifesavers would reinforce the message that they would act between red and yellow flags to prevent further “tragic incidents” like this from happening. He said that he is doing so.
“Local residents on the Central Coast, particularly those involved in rescue and resuscitation efforts, will be greatly affected by these drownings,” Mr Munson said.
“When you go to a patrolled area, whether you're paddling, swimming, or bodyboarding, stay safe between the flags and make sure you know where you're going. It emphasizes its importance.
“We're seeing all of these fatalities, and they're occurring in areas that aren't patrolled or outside of patrol hours.”
