Body found in water near North Wollongong Beach during search for missing swimmer

A body believed to be that of a 32-year-old man has been found in the water near North Wollongong Beach, during a multi-agency search for the missing swimmer.

Emergency services received a call from the popular Wollongong beach, which is one of the only beaches patrolled during the winter months in the coastal city, about 10:30am.

In it, welfare concerns were raised about a swimmer who had not returned from the water, and whose belongings had been found on the beach.

It sparked a multi-agency response from NSW Police, NSW Ambulance, Marine Rescue and Surf Life Saving NSW.

A large-scale search got underway during which a body was found slightly submerged off the rock platform near the Continental Pool, about 1 kilometre south of the beach.

The body was retrieved by the searchers and NSW Police are now investigating the incident.

While they have not formally identified the body, in a statement police said they believed it to be that of a 32-year-old man.

Police have appealed to anyone with information about the incident to contact Crime Stoppers.

Surf Life Saving NSW's Illawarra duty officer Anthony Turner said emergency services did everything they could to locate the man quickly.

"It was a short search; within an hour the body was retrieved and brought back to shore by emergency services," he said.

He said it was a huge, multi-agency effort.

"Surf Life Saving deployed three inflatable rescue boats, two rescue services, jet skis, a UAV drone and the Westpac Lifesaver 21 helicopter from Sydney also attended the scene," he said.

"Marine Area Command [were] offshore and council lifeguards were on jet skis."

He said the circumstances surrounding the death will be a matter for NSW Police.

"The conditions were quite favourable today for swimming and beach activities, so that'll be part of the police investigation," he said.

Mr Turner said while less fatal incidents occur during winter months compared to summer, the tragic event was, sadly, not unusual.

"A lot of incidents do happen outside the season and it just highlights how important it is, if you do go for a swim, adventure to beaches which are patrolled," he said.

"And look at the surf conditions before entering the water."

He said North Beach was patrolled between the hours of 9am and 4pm during the off-season.

Mr Turner said support will be provided to the first responders.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.