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A search for a British tourist reported missing from an Australian beach after an evening swim has been called off.
Police and emergency services conducted a two-day operation at South Curl Curl beach in Sydney (pictured) to look for the man, who had been in the country for a week.
The 31-year-old had been fishing with a friend on Saturday before he decided to go for a swim around 7pm local time, New South Wales police said.
The search was called off just before 1pm local time today.
When the man, who has links to the Manchester area, did not return, his friend contacted emergency services who began a search involving police divers and the police helicopter, the BBC reported.
A police statement said: “After searching throughout the morning with nil find, the search has now been called off. However, police will continue to make inquiries into the man’s disappearance.”
South Curl Curl beach is one of the more “hazardous” in the area, Donna Wishart from Surf Life Saving New South Wales said.
She said: “The rip currents are the main problem and they are deceptive in that people think the water looks fairly calm.
“The south end of Curl Curl beach often has strong rip currents and that can carry people around to the rocky headlands. The water gets deep very quickly.”