Police say this will allow emergency services to continue the search and recovery operations for a missing 14 year old boy swept into the sea at the popular beach on Saturday.

The incident occurred at about 3.15pm.

The boy was among a group of three swimmers who were in the surf at the popular beach on Saturday afternoon.

The group is believed to have gotten into difficulty during the swim.

On-duty surf life savers were able to reach two of the group, bringing them back to the shore.

A immediate search was commenced with surf life saving evacuating the water. Green dye was deployed in the water to give an indication of water movement, tides and any rips.

Police will continue to coordinate the search which included patrols of the beach overnight.

Port Macquarie and Tacking Point surf life saving club volunteers, manning IRBs and branch jet skis will form part of the search along with Marine Rescue Port Macquarie.

Marine area command jet skis with divers on standby along with a helicopter from 10am will be returning to the beach.

Operations commenced from 5am.

Please avoid the area vehicle access is only for emergency services including surf life savers involved in the operation.

It is the second child to be swept out in the surf on Hastings beaches in less than two weeks. An 11-year-old boy from the ACT drowned off Lighthouse Beach on December 6.