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Mother collapses as search for teen Tui Gallaher missing off Maroubra Beach continues

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The mother of a 14-year-old boy missing in choppy surf in Sydney's east has collapsed on the beach as the search for her son resumes. 

Tui Gallaher and his family, from Guildford in the city's west, were on a day trip to Maroubra Beach on Tuesday. 

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The mother of a 14-year-old boy missing in surf off Maroubra Beach has collapsed on the sand as the search for her son resumes. Vision courtesy Seven News.

Tui and his cousin, also 14, went for a swim at the southern end of the beach about 8.30pm, when they got into trouble. 

A 26-year-old man walking past spotted the teens and jumped in the water to rescue them. 

He reached one of the boys and pulled him back to shore. However when he went back into the surf, Tui had vanished.

A large scale search involving police, surf life savers and water police was carried out until about 11.30pm. 

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It resumed on Wednesday morning at 7.30am with the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter hovering above the coast. Parts of the beach have been closed.

Tui's mother and a friend sat on the beach watching as the search unfolded on Wednesday morning. 

At one point, the mother collapsed on the sand as her friend comforted her and life guards rushed to her aid. 

Eastern Beaches Local Area Command Inspector Chris Whalley labelled the efforts of the passer-by who tried to save both boys as "outstanding". 

"To take the initiative and to enter the surf to try and rescue someone is a fantastic thing to do and something that is extremely admirable," he said.

Inspector Whalley said Tui's cousin was understandably shaken, as was the rest of the family.

Photographs from the scene on Tuesday night showed the Ambulance helicopter shining a spotlight on the waves, as local police used their torches to patrol the sand.

Their lights illuminated choppy, rough conditions. Concerned locals stood nearby watching the search effort.

The search was suspended just before midnight due to poor visibility and poor surf conditions, police said.

Matthew Evans, from NSW Surf Life Saving, said there were no red and yellow flags up on the beach when the young boy went swimming. 

Search teams are navigating difficult conditions, with several rips and a significant swell.

"The conditions today, there is about a three to four-foot swell running," Mr Evans said. "There is a couple of rips running down the southern end of the beach so it is making it a bit difficult, condition-wise."

The disappearance comes as seven people drowned in NSW in 48 hours, prompting warnings from authorities to take care in the water.

Federal minister for Health and Aged Care, Sussan Ley, said the deaths were a reminder for everyone to stay safe when they took to the water this summer.

"Any drowning death is one too many," Ms Ley said in a statement on Wednesday.

"I express my sympathies to the families of those who have drowned over the Christmas period."

On Tuesday, Sergeant Paul Farquharson from the Marine Area Command urged people to swim between the flags and wear life jackets to avoid further "tragedies".

"It's certainly a time of year where families should be celebrating the time, and not mourning the loss of loved ones," he said.

"If they can't swim, don't go in. It's as simple as that."

Those who have died include a Nepalese masters student, two young men on days out with friends and a grandfather trying to rescue two girls caught in a rip.

A 23-month-old girl who was pulled unconscious from her backyard swimming pool on December 20 died in hospital on Boxing Day, while her twin brother remains in a critical condition.