<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>332381</docID> <postdate>2024-11-04 11:02:32</postdate> <headline>Family distraught amid search for boy swept to sea</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-332382" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20190909001417876007-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="535" /></p> <caption>A search is resuming for a boy swept out to sea on the NSW Central Coast. (Darren Pateman/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Luke Costin</strong> in Sydney</span></p> <p><strong>An ill-advised channel crossing resulted in a boy being swept into the ocean, leaving his family distraught and triggering a desperate land and sea search.</strong></p> <p>The 11-year-old was walking with his three siblings and father at The Entrance on the NSW Central Coast when disaster struck about 5pm on Sunday.</p> <p>The family were visiting from Sydney and fishing in the area when it's believed they took a shortcut across a channel between an estuary and the ocean before the boy was swept away while the tide was going out.</p> <p>"Lots of people try and move across that channel, it is not advised though," Inspector David Piddington told reporters on Monday.</p> <p>While two bystanders looked after the other three children, the father tried to reach the boy but was unsuccessful, police said.</p> <p>An extensive land, air and sea search for the boy resumed about 8am, involving local police, surf lifesavers, water police and rescue helicopters.</p> <p>The search area extends about 15km south to Avoca.</p> <p>Marine Rescue NSW inspector Steve Raymond said volunteers in two vessels resumed conducting parallel line searches under direction from police amid lumpy offshore conditions on Monday.</p> <p>Attempts to find the boy on Sunday night were called off when it got dark.</p> <p>Insp Piddington said the boy's family was very distraught.</p> <p>Police liaison officers and extended family members were assisting with translation and support.</p> <p>"We'll assist them as much as we can moving forward," Insp Piddington said.</p> <p>The Entrance is at the mouth of Tuggerah Lake and is a popular weekend and holiday destination about 100km north of Sydney.</p> </body>