Man, 27, drowns near Byron Bay, NSW, another in hospital

A 27-year-old man has died and a 28-year-old is in hospital after swimming at a beach near Byron Bay on the NSW Far North Coast.

Emergency services were called to New Brighton Beach, 25 minutes north of Byron Bay at 1pm when a man collapsed after getting out of the water.

The younger man was then found unresponsive and pulled from the water.

He couldn't be saved, despite the efforts of Surf Lifesavers and an off-duty nurse who did CPR until ambulance crews arrived.

The older man was rushed to Tweed Hospital in a stable condition.

Police are investigating and a report will be prepared for the Coroner.

It's just the latest ocean tragedy over the New Year.

Yesterday, an off-duty police officer drowned while trying to save his teenage son from a rip on a beach on the NSW Far South Coast.

He was on holiday from the NSW Blue Mountains with his family.