Fewer people have drowned this year

Press, 16 August 1984, Page 27

Fewer people have drowned this year

PA Wellington Seventy-seven people drowned between January 1 and July 31 this year, compared with 84 during the corresponding time last year, according to provisional figures issued by the Water Safety Council.

Boating accidents dropped from 29 last year to 16 in 1984.

Mr M. L. Frohlich, executive director of the Water Safety Council, said he was thrilled that boating accidents had decreased. However, after the figures were compiled boating mishaps had increased, he said. “In the last few weeks it seems as though every second day there has been a case of a boat getting into trouble.”

So far this year, 46 drownings have occurred at beaches and in rivers and streams, and six happened in swimming pools.

Almost all those drowned in pools this year were young children. Four of the six pool deaths were of children aged less than five years. "Until more local authorities adopt a by-law on pool fencing we are still going to be in trouble,” Mr Frohlich said. “Now that the Standards Association has released a model by-law, we hope more local authorities will adopt by-laws for swimming pools.” At the moment, he said, less than a quarter of local bodies had these regulations.

Mr Frohlich said that a number of deaths were occurring when people were swimming on their own. The council was considering changing its water safety programmes in the light of this to emphasise personal survival skills rather than rescue practices.