Search Called Off for Missing Chinese National Near Phillip Island Following Tragic Drowning Incident
Victoria Police have officially ended their air, sea, and ground search for a missing man who was swept into the ocean near Phillip Island on Friday. The operation concluded just before 1pm on Monday.
The 41-year-old Chinese national was one of three people washed off rocks at Punchbowl, a dangerous and remote beach between Kilcunda and San Remo. His wife drowned in the incident, while another woman was rescued. All three were part of a group of seven workers living in Pakenham on working visas. It is understood the couple had a child.
The tragedy unfolded during a deadly Easter weekend in which seven people lost their lives in waters across New South Wales and Victoria.
Community Mourns, Calls for Greater Safety
Bass Coast Shire Council Mayor Rochelle Halstead expressed the community’s grief following the incident.
“This is an unimaginable loss,” she said. “On behalf of council and the wider Bass Coast community, I offer our heartfelt condolences during this incredibly difficult time.”
According to Life Saving Victoria, the municipality has a 96% chance of recording a fatal drowning each year, highlighting the persistent danger in the region.
San Remo, the small coastal town at the entrance to the Phillip Island bridge, has a tragic history with ocean drownings. Over the past decade, 32 people have drowned in the region, including six in the Bass Coast Shire during the previous summer alone.
The latest incident has reignited community concern, with many taking to social media to demand better signage, restricted access to hazardous locations, and more visible warnings at known beach black spots like Punchbowl.
Dangerous Conditions at Punchbowl
Punchbowl is a steep, rocky coastal inlet surrounded by 70-metre-high cliffs. Despite its scenic beauty, the beach features a permanent rip current and is considered unsafe for swimming.
Andrew Crow, spokesperson for the Woolamai Beach Surf Life Saving Club, called the fishing spot “very dangerous,” noting a history of drownings in the area.
“Even when it looks calm, one wave can wash you off the rocks,” he said. “There are big warning signs, but I urge everyone to take them seriously and stay safe around rocks and water.”
Language Barriers and Safety Communication
Phillip Island resident Graham Jolly, who lives near Cape Woolamai—site of a tragic family drowning in 2024—praised recent efforts to improve beach safety signage but believes more needs to be done.
“Some of the signs are positioned too far from the beach,” he said. “People are drowning not because they’re swimming, but because they’re wading into deceptively dangerous water with no clear warnings.”
Research suggests language barriers may also play a role in beach safety misunderstandings. A 2023 study by migrant surf lifesavers Masaki Shibata and Tin Kei Wong from the University of Adelaide revealed that many international students struggle to interpret common warnings like “swim between the flags.”
Jolly echoed the concern: “People don’t always understand the signs. One moment they’re standing on a sandbar, and the next a wave sweeps them off. It’s the worst thing that can happen, and I don’t want to see another life lost down here.”
