Late this morning, shortly after 11:30 a.m., a distress call was made from the lighthouse walk when a passerby noticed a capsized boat at the northern tip of Palm Beach.

The small vessel was found overturned on the rocks, with its engine ablaze.

A lone survivor, visibly bleeding, was marooned on the rocks but was remarkably fortunate to be alive.

Emergency services responded swiftly, with a paramedic being lowered from a helicopter to communicate with the survivor, who disclosed that two others were still missing in the water.

“Our hearts go out to the people involved,” expressed Rod McGibbon, a duty officer with Surf Life Saving NSW.

The victim was winched over wild seas before being transferred to an ambulance.

A surf lifesaver on a jet ski had been the first to respond, pulling a body from the treacherous swell and onto the sand.

The man was given CPR by paramedics but died at the scene.

“We did have patrols on the beach today, which was fortunate, and they were able to respond very quickly, which is part of the reason we were able to save one of those people,” McGibbon said.

Still missing in the crashing waves is a 14-year-old boy.

NSW Police Acting Inspector Nicole Turner said officers were assisting Surf Life Saving Australia, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and NSW Ambulance in the search.

The conditions off the coast had been rough today, with a warning issued for large and powerful surf.

Those same conditions have made the search operation more difficult.

It’s unclear where the trio had set off from and whether they had seen the warning signs. It did not appear they had been wearing life jackets.

Anyone with information is urged to contact police Northern Beaches police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.