A desperate search for a young woman missing in waters off Tasmania has been called off after two days.
Emergency services were on Friday called to Somerset Beach near the Cam River at Somerset, in the state’s northwest, shortly after 2pm.
The 22-year-old, her 26-year-old sister and nine-year-old brother had been swimming at the popular location.
Officers believe the woman became caught in a rip while her siblings were fortunately able to escape from the dangerous current.
A search for a 22-year-old Tasmanian who woman missing at Somerset Beach has been called off
Rescue efforts included volunteer boats, surf lifesavers, police divers and a rescue helicopter.
The search covered 680km sq but the woman could not be located.
Tasmania Police on Sunday revealed they had decided to suspend the search, with experts suggesting the woman could not have survived the rough conditions.
‘Significant and intense search efforts by all involved in the search over the previous two days in the search zone have sadly, failed to locate the missing person,’ Inspector Adrian Shadbolt told 7News.
‘Our thoughts are with her family at this very sad time.’
Inspector Shadbolt said the conditions at the beach leading into the river were ‘challenging’.
‘Coupled with the capacity of the young lady – she had a medical condition – limited her swim-ability,’ he said.
‘They (the siblings) have lost a family member that was dear to them.’
Police believe the woman became caught in a rip while swimming with her siblings
The woman went missing at Somerset beach on Tasmania’s northwest coast
Inspector Shadbolt said the women and her family lived locally at Camdale.
Police said they had used local knowledge of currents and data from an ocean buoy to assist in the plotting of the search area.
Inspector Shadbolt described the effort of volunteers as ‘phenomenal’ and that it made him ‘proud to be Tasmanian’.
Somerset Beach is located at the mouth of the Cam River between Wynyard and Burnie.
The beach has a low-moderate hazard rating under normal low wave conditions, with best swimming at mid to high tide.
However higher easterly wave conditions can induce rips, particularly at low tide.
The beach and river are well-known for fishing, swimming, kayaking, and family leisure activities.