A 12-year-old boy from Melbourne has gone missing while swimming off the South Gippsland coast, prompting an extensive search operation.

The boy, identified only as Danny, vanished while swimming at No 4 Beach in Venus Bay, located approximately 120 kilometers southeast of Melbourne, earlier today.

His family, hailing from Taylors Hill, alongside concerned members of the public, began searching for him after he disappeared from view around 11:30 a.m.

Authorities reported that emergency services were alerted shortly after 1 p.m. This initiated a coordinated search effort featuring the air wing, water police squad, Coast Guard, State Emergency Service, Life Saving Victoria, and local beachgoers.

The search was anticipated to continue into the night and resume the following morning.

Danny was described as about 170 centimetres tall with a thin build, dark, short hair and dark eyes.

He was wearing a navy blue rash vest and navy blue boardshorts with a white stripe when he disappeared. 

Venus Bay’s tiny population of 500 can surge into the thousands as anglers, surfers and families arrive for holidays, according to Visit Melbourne.