Woman dead, man missing after group washed off rocks at Victorian beach

A woman has drowned and her husband is missing after a group was washed off rocks at a beach in a popular holiday destination in Victoria's south.

In NSW, three people have drowned and a fourth person is missing in a devastating start to the Easter long weekend across both states.

Emergency services were called to a beach off Punch Bowl Road in San Remo, near Phillip Island, about 8.30am to reports two women and a man had been swept from the rocks and were in the water.

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The three people were among of group of seven who were walking along the rocks.

One of the women managed to make her way back to shore but the other woman and the man were unable to, according to police.

The other woman was found unresponsive in the water during a search led by a police helicopter.

She was brought back to shore but could not be revived.

Police are still searching for the 41-year-old man.

The woman who managed to return to shore has been taken to Wonthaggi Hospital by ambulance.

The group has been identified as Chinese nationals, all on a working visa, aged in their 30s and 40s.

The search operation will continue until sunset, and if the man hasn't been found by then, it will resume at first light tomorrow morning.

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