Search underway for missing man at Emerald Beach on NSW mid-north coast

Emergency services are searching for a man believed to have been missing in the ocean off the NSW mid-north coast for two days.

Taewoo Kim, 21, was last seen entering the water at Moonee Beach, near the suburb of Emerald Beach, around 1pm on Thursday.

The police were alerted to his disappearance on Friday around 9:30 p.m. when he had not returned to his accommodation.

A multi-agency search began this morning, with crews on jet skis and helicopters searching the water.

Coffs-Clarence Police District Inspector Ben Atkinson said police were trying to determine why it had taken so long for the man to go missing.

“This is part of our investigation, but following our notification, we have launched ground and air searches,” he said.

Mr Atkinson said a colleague of the missing man notified police and his belongings were found in an initial search.

“Police found a cell phone, passport, backpack and clothes belonging to the missing person,” he said.

New South Wales Police confirmed the man was not an Australian national.

Surf Life Saving NSW North Coast Duty Officer Les Pepper said the man was believed to be in the area with friends and went swimming late at night, which was not out of his character.

“They come here to swim at Emerald Beach and he wanders off and he does that regularly, so they just went home and left him there,” Mr Pepper said.

Mr Pepper said there was a tear near where the belongings were found.

“For the rest of the day we’re going to search the headland… see if we can find it somewhere there,” he said.

Police are urging anyone with information about the missing man to come forward.

He is described as being of Asian appearance, of slim build, approximately 175cm tall, with black hair and brown eyes.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this section of the article contains the name and likeness of a deceased person.

Several dramas during the holidays

The search for Taewoo Kim comes about three weeks after teenager Jacob Partridge went missing from Emerald Beach and has yet to be found.

Across NSW there have been 20 coastal drowning deaths since July 1.

Two of them were over the holiday period, including a man near Kiama on Boxing Day and teenager Luca Bennett who was swept away by rocks on North Avoca beach on the Central Coast, Christmas Eve.

A body believed to be that of the 15-year-old was found yesterday, but could not be recovered due to conditions.

Police confirmed the body was found today.

Hundreds of tributes have been posted online for the teenager, a Wiradjuri boy born and raised in Darkinjung country and a talented basketball player.

In a social media post, Central Coast Rebels basketball club described him as “a friend, teammate, role model and proud Indigenous athlete”.