A British tourist has died while attempting to rescue his two sons at a beach in southern New South Wales.

The 46-year-old man was in the surf with his sons at Burrill Beach, near Ulladulla, when they appeared to get caught in a rip around noon today.

The man went to their aid, but also got caught in a rip and suffered a cardiac arrest while in the water.

The Milton Ulladulla Times reports that beachgoers rescued the boys and then returned to help the father, but found him floating face-down.

The man was pulled from the water and paramedics performed CPR.

However, he was pronounced dead on arrival at the Milton-Ulladulla Hospital.

It is the second death at the beach within a month, after a Filipino national drowned during December, according to the Times.