Australia has seen a 24 percent increase in drowning incidents this summer compared to last year, with fatalities expected to surpass 100 by the end of February, signifying one of the worst summers for holidaygoers and families.
The report follows a tragic event on Jan. 24, where four people lost their lives after being caught in a rip at Forrest Caves Beach, marking the deadliest drowning incident in Victoria in two decades.
The unpatrolled beach is known for being notorious for its hazardous swimming conditions with strong rips and rough waves.
The four were farewelled at a Hindi funeral service on Feb. 1 in Dandenong South in Melbourne’s southeast, where hundreds of guests gathered.
Dangerous Waters
The new report (pdf), released by Royal Life Saving Australia (RLSA), the nation’s leading drowning prevention organisation, reveals the number of deaths caused by drowning for the summer of 2023-2024.It showed 72 drowning deaths between Dec. 1, 2023, and Jan. 30, 2024, marking a 5 percent increase from the five-year average.
Notably, there was a high record of drowning in the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, with a total death count of 25. Nine of which occurred on Boxing Day alone.
The RLSA forecasted that if drowning deaths continued to occur at the current rate, the number of fatal incidents could reach 107 by the end of this summer, an increase of 17 cases compared to last year.
New South Wales reported the highest number of drowning deaths at 24 (up 14 percent), followed by Victoria at 19 (up 27 percent), Queensland at 16 (up 60 percent), and Western Australia at 8 (up 60 percent).
Among the age groups, people aged 45-54 accounted for the largest number of victims (16 deaths), followed by those aged 35-44 (12 deaths) and young adults from 20 to 24 years old (9 deaths).
Why Did Drowning Deaths Increase?
RLSA chief executive Justin Scarr described the drowning toll as “absolutely tragic,” while explaining a number of underlying causes for the rise in deaths.“We’ve had lots of hot weather, we’ve also had significant flooding,” he said, referring to the flooding in the wake of Cyclone Jasper in December 2023.
“There’s (also) an underlying issue of community swimming skills.
“We’ve had a few years during COVID where people weren’t able to access lessons or swimming pools.”
The CEO also added that a large number of people used remote, unpatrolled beaches for entertainment or other purposes.
“Those locations are a long, long way from lifeguards or help,” he said.
To help Australians stay safe around the water, the RLSA advised people to practice water safety measures, including swimming in groups, supervising children, avoiding alcohol, and wearing a lifejacket when boating and fishing.
