Police update – Tuesday, 24 February 2026 06:49:59 PM
Multi-agency search suspended for elderly man believed to be missing in water – Forster
A multi-agency search for an elderly man who is believed to have disappeared underwater in Wallis Lake on Sunday has been suspended.
About 4.45pm on Sunday, 22 February 2026, emergency services were called to the area north of the Forster–Tuncurry Bridge, following reports that a man had gone under the water and failed to resurface.
Officers from the Manning Great Lakes Police District responded, supported by Surf Life Saving Australia and Marine Rescue NSW.
Despite an extensive search, the man, believed to be aged 81, was not located.
The operation resumed yesterday (Monday 23 February 2026), with crews from Manning/Great Lakes Police District, Marine Area Command, Surf Life Saving NSW, Marine Rescue NSW, NSW SES, Volunteer Rescue Association and the Rural Fire Service assisting in the the search.
The search resumed today however searchers were unable to locate the man.
Today’s search was formally suspended at 12.00pm.
Water Police and other agencies will continue to search the waters of Wallis Lake in the coming days as part of normal proactive taskings.
Marine Rescue Forster Tuncurry volunteers are continuing to assist a multi-agency search for a man believed to have disappeared underwater in Wallis Lake yesterday afternoon.
Marine Rescue NSW Inspector John Murray said volunteers resumed the search this morning (Monday 23 February).
“A volunteer crew was deployed on board Marine Rescue NSW vessel Forster 30 to assist Water Police.
“Marine Rescue NSW volunteers resumed the search at 8.30am. Forster 30 is conducting a parallel line search with Water Police offshore between the northern breakwall and extending north along Nine Mile Beach.
“Conditions are lumpy offshore, with a 1.5 to 2 metre swell and light winds,” Inspector Murray said.
The Marine Rescue NSW crew is being supported by volunteer radio operators at Marine Rescue Forster Tuncurry.
“Our volunteers will continue searching until instructed otherwise by Marine Area Command,” he said.
Inspector Murray said two Marine Rescue NSW vessels and volunteers from the Forster Tuncurry unit spent more than two hours searching for the man yesterday evening (Sunday 22 February).
“Forster 20 searched inshore on Wallis Lake, while Forster 30 searched offshore waters until they were stood down for the day at 7.15pm,” he said.
Marine Rescue NSW is a volunteer based not-for-profit professional organisation dedicated to keeping boaters safe on the water and supporting local communities.
