Two reported missing in Kiama

A search is underway for two people, thought to have been washed off rocks in Kiama on the New South Wales' south coast.

Transcript

00:00I'm here at South Kiama Harbour where a multi-agency search is underway for two missing fishermen.

00:07We understand that they are a father and a son, one aged 47 and one just 17.

00:13Now police say that they left their home at Liverpool in Sydney's south west yesterday

00:17to spend the day fishing at Storm Bay where I am here in Kiama.

00:22They did speak with family at 5.20 yesterday and were expected home at midnight but failed

00:26to do so.

00:28Police received a concern for welfare report around 3 o'clock and that's when this multi-agency

00:32search began.

00:33It's understood the pair are experienced rock fishermen who have visited this area before

00:38which is a particularly busy and popular tourist and fisherman spot.

00:43Police say both are capable swimmers and were not wearing life jackets when they reportedly

00:48were swept off the rocks.

00:49What's difficult for this investigation is that there were no witnesses for them being

00:53reportedly swept off the rocks which is why police are having to base their search off

00:58the time that the pair spoke with family.

01:01Now police, SES, Surf Life Saving and Marine Rescue crews are all involved in this search.

01:07There's been helicopters and drones circling the water's edge and the rocks all morning

01:12and even crowds have been watching on as this has been unfolding.

01:17We're very concerned.

01:18It does appear in all likelihood they've been swept off the rocks.

01:22There was a large swell operating and a very high tide last night at the time they were

01:26fishing.

01:27The best case scenario is that they've found something, a flotation type material that

01:32they can hang on to.

01:35They are capable swimmers, we know that, but there's been no sightings of them so we're

01:40just hoping for the best and doing all we can to locate them.

01:45Fishing equipment including a car and the son's phone have been found at the site where

01:50they were believed to be fishing.

01:53Police have spoken to the mother and the wife of this father-son duo and they've told me

01:57that she is understandably quite distraught at today's circumstances.

02:02We actually understand that she is at the site here watching on as this rescue unfolds.

02:08As I said, this is a very iconic spot in Kayama so crowds have been watching on.

02:13Here's one of them.

02:14Take a listen.

02:15We noticed a helicopter coming up the hill so we just thought we'd see because we didn't

02:19know what was going on.

02:20We just thought it was a normal helicopter and then I thought, well, the SES are everywhere,

02:25lifeguards are everywhere, something's happened, so we just thought we'd duck up and have a

02:30look.

02:31It's a real tragedy, hopefully they'll be alright.

02:35Police say they are still treating this as a search and rescue operation and will continue

02:39to do so until darkness later today.

02:45For more information visit www.fema.gov