The Berkeley teen was fishing with friends at Hill 60 when a wave swept them from the rock platform just before 4pm. While two men aged 17 and 55 were rescued, Mr Buxton Hurd has not been found.

Mr Buxton Hurd's friend Chaise Barbaric was fishing with him at the time and saw the wave that stole his friend's life.

"As soon as the wave hit him, he slid down to the rock," Mr Barbaric said.

Read more: Long weekend tragedy as man drowns south of Narooma

He was devastated by the loss of his close friend, and watched in shock as emergency services scoured the water on Tuesday morning.

Mr Barbaric said that Mr Buxton Hurd has eleven brothers and sisters at home that he helps to look after.

Mr Buxton Hurd was a passionate fisherman, Mr Barbaric said, and the pair often fished from the rock platform at Hill 60.

Tony Mojanovski was one of the bystanders who jumped to the aid of the fishermen while walking his dog on Monday afternoon.

In a video posted to Facebook, Mr Mojanovski warned residents of the dangers of fishing from the rock platform.

Read more: NSW records 18 COVID deaths, under 10,000 new cases

He spoke to the camera with blood streaming down his legs as helicopters circled overhead.

"This is why you don't fish at Honeycomb on bad days," he said.

Mr Buxton Hurd's mother posted a heartfelt tribute to her son on Gofundme, raising money for a funeral.

"I can't imagine living my life without him," she wrote.

"I'm hoping people will help me lay him to rest so he can fish in heaven."

The major search operation began yesterday shortly after 4pm, with Emergency Services, Police, NSW ambulance, Lifeguard services and Surf Life Saving all answering the call.

The groups called off the search on Monday evening when the light faded, but reconvened on the beach at 7.30am on Tuesday.

Superintendent Craig Ireland said the search was now a recovery effort, and the chances of finding Mr Buxton Hurd alive are slim.

Read more: P-plater racing along Memorial Drive due to death in family, police told

More than a dozen fluoro-clad SES workers waited for their shift on the beach as Surf Life Saving operated drones over the water.

Police lined the headland and jet skis and rescue boats drifted through water, scouring the shallows for Mr Buxton Hurd.

A police helicopter circled above the dye-stained water.

The rock platforms at Hill 60 have become notorious for drownings, especially after five people died within three weeks after being washed off the rocks while fishing early last year.

In late January 2021, three men died after they were hit by a large wave and swept into the surf while fishing, and then on February 12 another two men died at the same spot.

After the Anzac Day incident, Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said there was a limit to what the council or other authorities could do to prevent drowning deaths at Hill 60 and other parts of the Wollongong coastline.

He said the council was waiting for a coroner's report into the five deaths which occurred at Port Kembla in early 2021, and expected there may be some recommendations which would be implemented if required.

"It's still a matter of people taking responsibility for their own lives as far as I'm concerned," he said.

"It's always a tragedy to lose a life - but at what cost are you prepared to go fishing?"

Read more: Teachers' strike disappointing: Perrottet

He said the council has put up multi-lingual signs at dangerous spots like Hill 60, and urged people to heed weather warnings and messages about life jackets.

"We can only do a certain amount and we don't have the powers to ban people from rock fishing - there is just a limit to how much governments can do without putting up barriers preventing people from going near the coast line," he said.

"This is the price we pay for freedom and the choices that we make. There are locations where the fishing is better, in terms of the catch, but also the risks are higher - and people make this judgement, and in this particular circumstance, tragically it appears that it's a high cost to get a fish."

Police have emphasised the importance of wearing a lifejacket while fishing. It is believed the men were not wearing lifejackets at the time.

"We can't state the importance of lifejackets, especiially in an isolated location like this," Superintendent Ireland said.

"A freak wave can come at anytime," he said.