Police say a man who washed up on a New South Wales beach had been drinking and likely drowned after going for a swim late on Monday night.
Emergency services were called to Cliff Road at North Wollongong just after 6:00am today, after members of the public walking on the beach reported a man's body had washed ashore.
Wollongong Chief Inspector Darren Brown said his death is not being treated as suspicious.
"At this stage it's still under investigation, but we are of the opinion that his cause of death was drowning," Chief Insp. Brown said.
"At some point during the night — we believe around midnight — that the person has entered the water for a late-night swim, and that person has unfortunately been located on the beach some hours later.
"Initial investigations indicate that the victim was drinking prior to the incident."
'Hazardous an understatement'
Chief Inspector Brown said the man's family have been notified.
"His belongings were found at the beach, approximately 200 metres south of where his body was located," he said.
"He has been identified by his family and is a 28-year-old Illawarra man."
He said the conditions were treacherous at sea, as a severe weather warning for abnormally high tides and dangerous surf was in place at the time the man entered the water.
"Hazardous is probably an understatement," Chief Inspector Brown said.
"There's been warnings out for the past few days following the storm.
"The standard message applies — if it's not patrolled it's not safe, swim between the flags and heed the warnings."
Surf Life Saving Illawarra assisted police with the investigations and have urged the public not to swim at night.
"Unfortunately, at night time the beaches aren't patrolled and there are inherent dangers," Duty Officer Anthony Turner said.
"We're just urging the public not to swim at night.
"With the currents at the moment there's a lot of seaweed and strong rips, if you get caught in one it one it could take you a couple of hundred metres offshore and could be very difficult to get out."
'Just a shock'
Bystander Carol Housen said the surf had been very choppy following the storm over the weekend.
"I wouldn't go out there in that weather," she said.
Her friend Judy Payne said it was distressing to learn a man's body had been discovered.
"We go for a walk four days a week and we always come and have a coffee here," she said
"To see all of the commotion, it was just a shock.
"I've not seen anything like this before."
