Body retrieved near Figure Eight Pools in Royal National Park thought to be missing student

Emergency crews have retrieved a man’s body that became wedged between rocks in the Royal National Park, south of Sydney. The body is believed to be that of a 22-year-old Nepalese student who went missing at the notorious Figure Eight Pools in February.

Police say a bushwalker located the man’s body on Monday afternoon around 800 metres south of the pools.

Wollongong Police, Police Rescue, and the Air Wing successfully recovered the body at about midday yesterday, but a formal process to identify the man’s body is yet to take place.

A report on the man’s death will be prepared for the Coroner.

The man’s disappearance in February led to calls for the popular and dangerous tourist attraction to be closed.

It is understood the man was swept off the rocks at a time when the official risk rating by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) was forecasted as Extreme.

An Extreme rating detailed on the NPWS website describe waves washing over the rock platform.

“If you’re standing on the rock shelf [at this time] you’ll be knocked over by waves and dragged across it,” the website said.

“You could also be washed into the ocean.”

source : ABC News