Police offer water safety advice as holiday drowning deaths start to climb

Police are urging people to take water safety precautions seriously as the summer weather settles in and drowning deaths increase.

Four separate water tragedies have been reported this week - one on Christmas Day at Christchurch’s Lake Roto Kohatu, two on Boxing Day in South Auckland and Ōpōtiki and another one early yestersay morning at Kaitoke Regional Park in Upper Hutt.

Police today issued a long list of advice and tips for those who plan to spend time in the water - whether swimming in rivers or at the beach, diving or boating.

It comes as Surf Lifesaving New Zealand also announced it is extending patrol hours along the Mount Maunganui coastline due to the number of people getting into trouble - with 10 rescues involving 19 people on Boxing Day alone.

“Sadly, each year our staff see tragic outcomes occur in and around water,” a police spokesperson said, explaining that last year was the worst for drownings in a decade with 90 deaths.

“Over the course of 2022, the Police National Dive Squad has been called out to assist with several searches for missing divers, swimmers or boaties, and many of those searches involved recovering people to return to their loved ones rather than getting them home safe.

“This is not the outcome anyone wants. We want everyone to come home to their whānau after a day enjoying the water.”

Police said whether diving, swimming or boating, it was vital to avoid alcohol. “Alcohol and water don’t mix and can have fatal consequences.”

Here are the top tips from police for divers, swimmers and boaties.

Diving - Ruku moana

Swimming - Kaukau

Boating - Eke poti