Accident

Singaporean and Australian forces are conducting joint operations at Shoalwater Bay for Exercise Wallaby.

Three of the women were knocked into the water by a large, freak wave.

Officers have charged the 70-year-old driver with one count of careless driving causing death.

They were pulled from the water a short time later but were unable to be revived, NSW Police said.

‘Jake died in horrendous circumstances: he was chased down and left to die alone in the dirt on the side of the road.’

Police believe the vehicle, carrying more than 30 students from Assumption College, left the road and struck a tree.

A police ethical standards command investigation later found that there was no police misconduct or breach of discipline.

They were rushed to hospital with significant injuries, one man in a serious condition and the other stable.

Six adults who were inside home at the time managed to escape before anyone was hurt.

‘It’s an extremely emotional scene. Anyone could understand that not just to lose one family member but to lose two family members.’

Placid seas raised hopes that the other three occupants of the boat were still alive, but they were dashed after rescuers recovered two bodies in the morning.

‘It’s a brave effort to go to the aid of someone else. Unfortunately it just wasn’t able to be done in this instance.’

The body of a 37-year-old man who died after the rockfall, and named in multiple media reports as Kurt Hourigan of Bruthen, was recovered about 6am on Thursday.

Emergency crews were working to free the second miner, as dozens of other workers took refuge in a safety pod.

The little boy was found by a member of the public, still strapped into his car seat.