Man dead, two in hospital after several people pulled from river north of Perth

A man is dead and a 13-year-old girl is among two people in hospital after a drowning emergency at a Western Australian river popular with swimmers.

Families enjoying the school holidays were left shocked when seven people were pulled from Moore River in Guilderton - an hour north of Perth - after getting in trouble.

The day out on the water took a disastrous turn at the holiday spot when police received a distress call at 10.45am (12.45pm AEST) today.

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"It just makes you realise how easy things can go from ok to really bad," one witness said.

A group of seven people got into trouble after trying to navigate a steep drop off in the shallows.

It's understood the group of three adults and four children were walking along a sand bank, when a 38-year-old man went into the water.

It's understood he slipped into a deep area, disappearing beneath the surface.

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Bystanders rushed to help, pulling out seven people and starting first aid, before paramedics arrived.

The 38-year-old man didn't survive.

A 13-year-old girl is recovering at Joondalup Hospital and a woman in her 30s remains at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, both, in a stable condition.

Three children under 10 and a man and his 40s were also taken to hospital but discharged earlier today.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

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