NZ drowning stats- 41 this yr so far!!!

[bobo]

I feel saddened by the numbers. Coming from an Island country myself (England)

No its not..

[BigRod]

No its not..

... all depends on whether you think that that part known as 'Scotland' and 'Wales' is in Greater England

[Kanga]

It would be interesting to know 'how' those people are drowning- I'll see if I can find anything out and I'll find the source for the stats I quoted too- sloppy not to have

WRT people drowning in rips, I think arguably poor swimming ability could play a huge factor, given it tends to be people panicing and trying to swim against it and tiring that results in them dying, not the actual rip, which doesn't push you under and usually only takes you out a couple of hundred metres at most, but I don't know- would be interesting to know.

[Kanga]

I can't find where I originally got the statistic from- it was running along the top of a site, when I was looking into the transferability of AustSwim to NZ. I have found the very interesting 'Annual Drowning Report 2008' (click the blue writing for the report) from Water Safety NZ, which makes for very interesting reading. A few things have sprung out at me form scanning it;

• There were 14 deaths by drowning reported for people who were swimming in 2008. and also that the report states "Swimming continues as the single recreational activity with the highest drowning toll"
  
• Drowning happens at all ages.
  
• Both Maori and Pacific Peoples are over represented in the drowning toll statistics- in 2008 Maori drownings represented 19% of the total drownings (but are 15% of the population) and Pacific Peoples represented 9% (but are 7% of the population. They do not that the % of Maori drownings had reduced from the previous 5 years.
  
• 76% of drowning victims in 2008 were male!!!
  
• The West Coast, with the highest drowning deaths per capita, has a drowning deaths per capita over three times that of the area with the second most drowning deaths per capita, which is insane!!
  
• In 2008 there were 16 drownings from boats- powered, non-powered and sailing.

Makes for grim reading. I'd like to see stats on how many of those recreational drownings included weak and poor swimmers.

ETA: too tired tonight (just back from a weekend in Sydney!) but there's more weighty reading on ACCs Drowning Prevention Strategy page that looks possibly interesting.

[IanW99]

...
I have found the very interesting 'Annual Drowning Report 2008' (click the blue writing for the report) from Water Safety NZ, which makes for very interesting reading. A few things have sprung out at me form scanning it;
...

Glad you found the report interesting

Ian

[Kanga]

Glad you found the report interesting

Ian

Oh my goodness Ian- I was soooo tired last night (back from long weekend away) that I only properly read the last post on the thread!! I'm really embarrassed now

I promise not to make a habit of it!

[Kanga]

My husband is now laughing at me

[Ana&Steve]

WRT people drowning in rips, I think arguably poor swimming ability could play a huge factor, given it tends to be people panicing and trying to swim against it and tiring that results in them dying, not the actual rip, which doesn't push you under and usually only takes you out a couple of hundred metres at most, but I don't know- would be interesting to know.

I wonder if under-tows are a factor...I was caught in one once and I nearly drowned. As it was near the shore and there were a lot of waves, I tumbled as I was pulled under. The only thing that saved me was that my face hit the bottom and I was able to determine which way was up and I pushed off the floor as hard as I could.

[Kanga]

I wonder if under-tows are a factor...I was caught in one once and I nearly drowned. As it was near the shore and there were a lot of waves, I tumbled as I was pulled under. The only thing that saved me was that my face hit the bottom and I was able to determine which way was up and I pushed off the floor as hard as I could.

It would be interesting to know wouldn't it? The current at all our local beaches varies from medium to ridiculously strong and almost all the beaches have permanant rips, not to mention flash rips etc. My partner, a strong, confident sea swimmer, was body boarding (in the true sense- no board) and got droped and tumbled by a huge wave but because they were coming in so fast the next pinned him under. I love the ocean though and I think not living next to it will be a sacrifice. Under current sounds very scary!!

[Sam B]

Anecdotally the drownings that I hear about on the news here seem to be more about reckless fishing off rocks and stupid boating accidents, as well as genuine boating accidents, as well as swimming pools and young kids, and freaks like flash floods in streams and gulleys etc.