Man drowns in Broome after cliff leap

A man in his 40s drowned yesterday after jumping from rocks at the popular Gantheaume Point in Broome.

Cori Fong, who lives in a property metres from the site, 6km from Broome’s town centre, phoned police about midday after a distressed woman started banging on her door pleading for help.

“I got directly on to the police and asked them to arrange an ambulance and a rescue boat because the body was face down in the ocean about 500m out,” Ms Fong said.

“His young friend tried to rescue him but was unsuccessful.

“I later saw the young guy being escorted by ambulance crews — and he was totally grief-stricken.

“He was totally, totally distraught.”

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The area has two “dangerous coastline” signs warning of “unstable surfaces” with another at the carpark entrance advising against swimming.

Shire of Broome president Ron Johnston said he was told the man jumped off the rocks on an outgoing high tide and in high winds.

“This practice which is encouraged by websites needs to be reviewed and constrained where and if necessary,” Mr Johnston said.

Ms Fong said dozens of people were attracted to the scenic point at weekends to leap from the pindan cliffs rising above the Indian Ocean.

She wants cliff jumping banned at the site, saying it was “glorified” on social media.

The location has undertows and blowholes and was made more hazardous yesterday by howling winds whipping up big waves that pounded into the rocks.

Cliff jumping at Gantheaume Point is encouraged by bloggers on various websites.

It is described by many as a must-do, with video footage showing people leaping into the water.

Ms Fong said the time had come to prohibit jumping and swimming at the spot and for people using social media to promote the activity to be aware of the dangers.

“Signage needs to be put in place to warn visitors that people have drowned here and that it is an extremely hazardous location.”