‘Last I saw of him’: Beachgoer reveals man was ‘laughing’ before he vanished off Maroubra Beach in Sydney’s east

A man was “laughing” with his friends moments before he vanished off a popular beach in Sydney’s east, a beachgoer has revealed. The search for the man, who failed to return to shore at Maroubra Beach on Sunday, has resumed. Emergency services were called about 4pm on Sunday following reports a man swimming at the southern end of Maroubra Beach had not returned to the shore. The man in his 30s was with several friends at the time, police say. Crews from the Marine Area Command, Surf Life Saving, Randwick Council, and Toll and Westpac helicopters looked for the man until 6pm before the search was suspended. The search for the man resumed at 8am on Monday. Beachgoer Robert Wood, 45, was looking for crabs with his son at Maroubra on Sunday afternoon when he came across a couple looking for sea urchins. “A friend of theirs came along who was also looking for sea urchins … he was laughing,” Mr Wood told NewsWire. “He went to my left and that was the last I saw of him.” Mr Wood said the man had been on the rocks looking for sea urchins with his friends. The man’s friends had no idea he was missing at first, Mr Wood said. “They did not think at all that their mate had gone missing,” he Wood said. Mr Wood said the swell was about half a metre, describing the incident as “sad”. Marine Rescue NSW Inspector Andrew Harding on Sunday said conditions were “not favourable”. “Conditions are not favourable offshore this afternoon, with choppy seas and squally rain showers,” he said. “Volunteer crews on board Middle Harbour 30 and Botany Hacking 32 will continue searching this evening until instructed otherwise by NSW Police Marine Area Command. “Marine Rescue NSW vessels and crews are on standby to assist should the search continue tomorrow.”