Friends of a young man who has died at a popular swimming hole in the Sunshine Coast hinterland are being comforted after he disappeared after swinging from a rope into the water.
Emergency crews were called to Gardners Falls near Maleny about 3:30pm on Monday, where the 24-year-old died in a suspected drowning.
Inspector John Van Egmond from the Sunshine Coast District Police said the man had walked from the carpark with two friends for a swim when the incident happened.
"The deceased swung out on a rope into the waterhole shortly before he disappeared," he said.
"He momentarily surfaced, but disappeared under the surface of the water soon after.
"It was distressing for his friends and other members of the public who were present."
Inspector Van Egmond said the man was an Indian national living in Australia and was visiting the swimming hole from Maroochydore.
"[He] had just finished his studies and was going to purchase a ticket home to India," he said.
The Indian consulate has been notified.
Witnesses searched the area, before police divers found the man's body just after 5pm.
A rescue helicopter was also involved in the search operation.
It is the third drowning incident at Gardners Falls in the past three years.
A 40-year-old Nepalese man drowned after jumping off rocks in January 2021, while a 15-year-old boy died after being pulled from the same area in 2019.
A report will be prepared for the coroner.
Council warns swimmers to follow safety advice
Sunshine Coast Council has released a warning to other swimmers after the incident.
The council manages the Gardners Falls site and urged people planning to visit to take care.
"We strongly urge anyone visiting the falls to heed the warnings and follow the onsite safety signage," a council spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said their thoughts were with the family of the man involved in the incident.
