Drowning prompts fresh warning

21.05.2010

The tragic drowning
last week of US citizen,
Shawn Williams, 32,
has prompted a fresh
warning of the dangers
of swimming at Tallow
Beach.
Northern NSW Lifeguard
co-ordinator,
Scott McCartney, said
the beach was one of
the most dangerous in
the area.
Mr McCartney said
anyone going to the
beach should never
take the conditions for
granted.
He said being an
open beach, it got a lot
of big swell and accompanying
rips.
There were dangers
of sandbank collapses,
even on small-swell
days, which could pitch
swimmers into a gutter
and put them in difficulties,
he said.
Mr McCartney said
because it was a big
beach with fewer people,
he could see why
some people would be
attracted to it.
"I can see the attraction
in it. but it comes
with a great risk," he
said. "Even on a good
day, Byron Bay is a safer
bet." Mr Williams,
from Chicago and who
had been living at Suffolk
Park with his Australian
wife, Tamara,
for about 12 months,
was reported missing
after going swimming
last Tuesday week.
A wide search on
Tuesday and Wednesday
failed to find him.
However, his body
was found by surfers,
washed up on the
beach, last Thursday
morning.
Police from the
Tweed-Byron Local
Area Command are
probing the circumstances
surrounding
the drowning and are
preparing a report for
the Coroner.