Drowning Toll Too High

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Drowning Toll Too High

Five drownings in the month of May has taken the national drowning toll for 2011 to 62 as of the end of May, reports Water Safety New Zealand.

Two recreational incidents, two road vehicle accidents, and a suicide account for the five deaths recorded in DrownBase(tm).

Matt Claridge, General Manager, WSNZ comments, "The drowning toll this year is too high. While five drownings in May is two less than were recorded for the month in 2010, we are now standing at 62 deaths to date in 2011. This is significantly higher than the 47 deaths recorded at the same point in 2010 and the five year average (2006-2010) of 50."

Analysis of incident data held by WSNZ indicates that the winter months will see a lessening of incidents as the deteriorating weather sees a corresponding reduction in people recreating in and around aquatic environments. However, Claridge warns that winter weather conditions require people to take additional care.

"Volatile weather can see rapid changes in water conditions both at sea and in fresh water environments like rivers and lakes. Risk taking at this time of year will be compounded by very cold water and consequently hypothermia is a real concern. People need to be aware of this and plan for the worst case scenario. The need to stay warm and dry is essential and I encourage people to ensure they have appropriate clothing and equipment when entering these environments."

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