Heartbreaking details emerge about young boy, 9, who drowned in front of his parents after he became trapped between rocks at South West Rocks Boy, nine, died at South West Rocks, NSW He became trapped between rocks in the water READ MORE: Man dies in fifth horror drowning in less than 24 hours By ANTOINETTE MILIENOS FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Published: 06:51 BST, 21 April 2025 | Updated: 06:51 BST, 21 April 2025 Witnesses have recalled the harrowing moment they held a young boy's hand after he became trapped between rocks at a popular beach on NSW's Mid North Coast. NSW Ambulance rushed to South West Rocks just before 3.30pm on Sunday following reports a nine-year-old boy was in trouble. The boy had become trapped off the shoreline of the beach after he had slipped while jumping off rocks while playing with other children. Police, along with the help of Surf Lifesavers NSW and NSW Fire and Rescue, worked to retrieve the boy from the rocks. Emergency crews managed to pull the young boy out from between the rocks, but he died at the scene, police said. Distraught witnesses who tried to help the boy revealed his parents both watched on and spoke to their son as he remained trapped as the tide came in. Local rugby league player Hakeem Torrens rushed to help the little boy, who he said had slipped while jumping off rocks. 'I did absolutely everything in my power to save him. I fought with every part of me wishing so desperately for a different outcome,' Mr Torrens told The Daily Telegraph. A nine-year-old boy has died after he became trapped between rocks off the shoreline at South West Rocks Emergency services worked to free the boy but he died at the scene Mr Torrens added the young boy 'wasn't alone' and was 'cared for and held' every moment until he died. Fellow beachgoer Kristen Smart was having a picnic with her children when the tragedy unfolded. Ms Smart ran to help the boy and said his father was holding his hand and talking to his son throughout the entire ordeal. She described the scene as 'traumatic' and explained emergency crews were not able to get the boy out as he was pinned between the rocks, with his chest stuck. Another mum said her children were playing with the little boy in the moments leading up to the accident. 'He was having a blast with my daughter...they were jumping off the smaller rocks with him before it happened,' the woman said. She explained the father was sitting on the beach nearby and rushed over when he heard about the accident. Frantically, the father asked witnesses what colour swimwear the trapped child was wearing. 'That's when he realised it was his son...he was absolutely hysterical,' the woman said. Distraught witnesses revealed the boy's parents were both holding his hand and talking to him in the moments up until his death Inspector Peter Walton, from the Mid North Coast Police District, said police launched an investigation into the incident and a report would be prepared for the coroner. 'Indications are it is nothing but a tragic misadventure which has resulted in the loss of a young child and unimaginable grief for the family,' Insp Walton said. 'I can only imagine what the family was going through watching it all unfold ... it was a very difficult situation for all that were there. 'Indications are that he was just playing on the rocks, and probably a number of kids play on those rocks every day.' Insp Walton said the exact cause of the boy's death has yet to be determined but that water may have been a factor. 'Obviously being wedged there with the waves coming in, water may be a factor,' Insp Walton said. Surf Life Saving NSW CEO Steve Pearce described the weekend as 'absolutely horrific' for coastal drownings. 'For such a religious weekend, this has been absolutely horrific from a coastal drowning perspective,' Mr Pearce said. 'It would be the worst Easter drowning toll that we have seen in New South Wales on our records. 'Just the culmination of hot temperatures, a long weekend, hundreds of thousands of people going to the coastline and an enormous swell that has impacted the coastline up and down.' Share or comment on this article: Heartbreaking details emerge about young boy, 9, who drowned in front of his parents after he became trapped between rocks at South West Rocks Add comment