Lifesaving rings to be installed at black spot

NSW Government officials have signed off on paperwork to install lifesaving buoys at Fingal Head, days after the drowning of a Japanese backpacker.

The death of 22-year-old Tomoe Ogisu, whose body was found yesterday morning, was the fourth at Fingal in less than three years and sparked renewed calls for flotation devices, which were supposed to have been installed by Christmas last year.

Yesterday, Tweed MP Geoff Provest told the Bulletin he was hopeful the “angel rings’’ would be installed “in a week or two” after the Government signed off on installation of the lifesaving rings.

“I’m trying to fast-track them,” Mr Provest said. “I’m hopeful of that. I’ve been lobbying the corridors of power.

“They won’t save everyone. It’s not a sugar pill, people still have to be responsible for their actions. All we can do is try.”

Mr Provest had previously pushed for the installation of the buoys after the tragic death of 20-year-old Dylan Carpenter off Dreamtime Beach in October last year.

He said there was also a push for installation of a Surf Life Saving NSW emergency response beacon on the headland. But at a cost of $35,000, position and timing of installation would still need to be debated, he said.

“I’m having a round-table meeting soon with police, surf life saving, council and other government officials,” Mr Provest said.

Surf Life Saving NSW CEO Steven Pearce said placing a beacon at the headland was just one of a number of ways to make the area safer.

“One was recently installed in (Cronulla) and within a month it went off and it saved two people,” he said.

However, he warned swimmers to stay within the flags and to avoid entering the surf where it was unpatrolled.

“If we can’t see people, we can’t save you,” he said.