Surfer killed at Tamarama named

A surfer who died at one of Sydney's most treacherous beaches has been identified as 41-year-old dad Matthew Richell.

Mr Richell, a well-known publisher from Balmain, died after being swept onto rocks and suffering a head injury while surfing at Tamarama yesterday.

He was pulled unconscious from the water by other surfers but neither they nor emergency services were able to revive him.

Mr Richell was the chief executive of Hachette Australia, which is part of global publishing house Hachette Livre, Fairfax Media reports.

His wife, Hannah Richell, is one of Hachette's authors.

The couple moved to Sydney from Britain with their two children, aged six and three.

The chief executive of Hachette UK, Tim Hely Hutchinson, issued a statement expressing his condolences to the Richell family.

"With great sorrow, and in shock, we have to announce the death of our beloved friend and colleague, Matt Richell," he said.

"Our thoughts and most heartfelt condolences are with Matt’s wife Hannah, his family, his colleagues and many friends in publishing and more widely."

Police said Mr Richell had been surfing at Bronte beach with a friend but was carried north towards Tamarama, which is not patrolled by life guards in the winter.

He was washed into an area known as "The Twins" — named after two large vertical rocks — and a jetski was on its way from Bondi to rescue him when a wave knocked him into rocks.

Police are preparing a report for the coroner.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald.
Author: Erin Tennant, Approving editor: Kieran Campbell.