Three off-duty security guards have been charged in connection with a brawl that led to the drowning of a 19-year-old man in Sydney's Darling Harbour.
A 22-year-old man from Berala has been charged with manslaughter and affray and has been refused bail to appear in Central Local Court on Monday.
Two others have been charged with fighting in public and will appear in Downing Centre Local Court at a later date, police said.
The victim had been partying with friends at Pontoon Bar at Cockle Bay Wharf when he got into an argument with a number of people, including three off-duty security guards, around 1am (AEDT) on Sunday.
The confrontation escalated, spilled outside onto the boardwalk and turned into a brawl involving 20 men, police said.
Two policewomen who tried to break up the melee were assaulted, while the young man from Plumpton fell into the water.
The police officers and several members of the public dived in to try to rescue him, with a lifebuoy also thrown in after him.
"His mates were all diving under trying to get him," witness Brendon Danby told TV journalists.
"Basically about 50 cops came bolting over, pulling everyone back, putting up their police lines and everything.
"There was just panic.
"There were about 50 people lined up along the wharf all looking into the water," he said.
The victim's body was recovered after about two-and-a-half hours.
Assistant commissioner Mark Murdoch said police were investigating the incident. "We are canvassing a quantity of CCTV," Mr Murdoch said.
He said the victim's family was devastated.
Police have formed Strike Force Southdown — including detectives from the Homicide Squad — to investigate.
The victim's body was recovered after about two-and-a-half hours.
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