Beachgoer calls for help from cave, one of seven sea rescues

Seven people were rescued from Sydney’s beaches, cliffs and a cave on Saturday night, with two recovering in hospital after a spate of incidents along the city’s coast.

A man was rescued by a police helicopter about 8pm on Saturday after being stranded on rocks at the base of a cliff at North Curl Curl beach and calling police for help from a cave.

Police said the man was walking along the rock shelf from Curl Curl Beach north to Cassie Rock, where he realised the water level had risen, and he could not return to the beach.

The man was swept from rocks into the sea but was able to get back to land and found shelter in a small cave, where he called police on his mobile phone.

Police winched the man to safety about 7.50pm and landed at North Curl Curl soccer field, where paramedics found he had scrapes on his legs from the rocks.

Four men were also rescued by passing fishermen after their five-metre-long boat capsized near Molineux Point in Botany Bay about 9.30pm on Saturday.

The men, aged 19, 21 and two aged 65, were wearing lifejackets when their fishing boat sank. Two fellow fishermen passing by found them and took them to a nearby boat ramp.

Paramedics checked the men, and a 65-year-old man was treated for hypothermia before being taken to Prince of Wales Hospital.