Two men have died after being swept off rocks into the sea at Port Kembla in NSW's Illawarra region at the same spot where three men drowned three weeks ago.
Police say the pair and another man were swept into the sea just before 7pm on Friday at Hill 60 near Fishermans Beach. It's believed at least two of the men were fishing.
NSW Ambulance crews, a rescue helicopter, police and a Surf Lifesaving inflatable rescue boat crew were alerted and a search for the men was launched.
Police said a Highway Patrol officer entered the water with a flotation device and swam out to the men.
Two men and the officer were retrieved from the water by the rescue boat crew who brought them to Port Kembla beach.
CPR was performed on one of the men but he died at the scene.
The Toll Ambulance Rescue Helicopter crew winched a third man to safety and he was taken to Wollongong Hospital where he later died.
NSW Ambulance Inspector Norm Rees said paramedics treated several people at the scene and took four to hospital.
"No words can describe the chaotic scene that paramedic crews and other first responders were faced with this evening," he said in a statement.
"It was absolutely heartbreaking to respond to a scene where previous lives have been lost despite the warnings."
Insp Rees urged people to take all safety precautions when taking part in activities around water and to remember that emergency service personnel put their lives at risk to save people.
