Elderly man dies while swimming at Sydney's Coogee Beach

A 77-year-old man has died after being winched from the water by a helicopter rescue team off Sydney's Coogee Beach.

Emergency services began searching for the man after 7.45pm on Friday, when police were waved down by his sister at the northern end of the beach.

The woman had not seen her sibling since he entered the water 45 minutes earlier.

A rescue helicopter spotted him floating off the north headland at 9pm and winched him on board but he could not be revived, police said.

Officers will prepare a report for the coroner.