Posted Thu 12 Nov 2026 at 1:50pmThu 12 Nov 2026 at 1:50pm, updated Thu 12 Nov 2026 at 5:44pmThu 12 Nov 2026 at 5:44pm
Police and emergency service crews at Fishermans Reach on the NSW Mid North Coast. (Nakita Jager: ABC Mid North Coast.)
Police say the death of a man, who was pulled from the water along with his toddler son on the NSW Mid North Coast in an apparent boating tragedy, is not suspicious.
Emergency services were called to Fishermans Reach, north of South West Rocks, about 10:15am today after receiving reports of a man and boy struggling in the water.
Chief Inspector Mick Aldridge said the 28-year-old man and his two-year-old son were unconscious when rescued by members of the public, who then performed CPR.
NSW Ambulance paramedics treated both, but the man could not be revived and died at the scene.
The boy, described in a NSW Police statement as a toddler, was flown to Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital and is now in a serious but stable condition.
Ambulance paramedics at Fishermans Reach, a small community in the Macleay. (ABC News)
"My understanding was the gentleman was on a tinny with his two-year-old son," Chief Inspector Aldridge said.
"The current part of the investigation will be to establish if the two-year-old boy and the man were wearing life jackets," he said.
Mick Aldridge says it is a tragic event for a small community to bear. (ABC Mid North Coast: Lauren Bohane)
"We have been provided information that they were seen with life jackets early this morning; we are unsure at the time of the incident."
"Obviously it is a small community, so it is tragic."
Local man Glenn Bishop lives near the site of the incident. He said he saw and heard several emergency vehicles go past this morning, and saw a marine rescue dinghy.
Emergency crews were called to the scene this morning. (ABC News)
"We are feeling very sad and numb hearing of the death, especially the young toddler … my partner was in tears when she heard about it," he said.
"We have a population of only 140 people here, so the news is devastating to the entire community, including Stuarts Point.
"Everyone knows each other here, so it's going to impact all of us."
Mr Bishop said it was "not a particularly dangerous stretch of river".
"It's quite a protected waterway and a fair way from the river mouth," he said.
"Conditions on the river were calm this morning, and there were many other boats out on the river as well."
The tiny coastal village of Fishermans Reach has a population of 144 in the latest Census. (ABC Mid North Coast: Lauren Bohane)
Source: ABC Australia · Emma Siossian
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