A search is underway for four women feared swept off rocks at Lake Macquarie, south of Newcastle.
Emergency services launched a major air and sea operation on Saturday afternoon after the group reportedly became stranded on rocks near Catherine Hill Bay Beach.
Police were called to the area around 1.40pm following witness reports of four women seen on the rocks around 1pm, but rising tides quickly obscured them from view.
Local officers, the Marine Area Command, and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter have scoured the coastline but have so far found no trace of the missing women.
It’s still not known if they managed to reach safety. One woman was reportedly wearing red shorts.
NSW Police told Daily Mail they want the women, who they believe may be teenagers, to come forward if they reached safety.
No-one saw them enter the water and police think they may have simply climbed back up the rocks and left the area.
Police stopped the search shortly after dark.