IN 11 years since 2010, there were 56 drownings recorded on the Mornington Peninsula.
Of these deaths, 26 were peninsula residents and mostly males.
The statistics are contained in the 2020/21 Victoria Life Saving Drowning Report which says that there is a 99 per cent chance of a drowning on the peninsula in any given year.
The report also states that statistcally there is a 96 per cent chance of a peninsula resident drowning in any given year and that males are 4.2 times more likely to drown that females.
In neighbouring Frankston, which ranked 11th for the highest number of drownings of Victoria’s 79 local government areas, teenagers and young adults were found to face an increased risk of drowning.
The report assessed the trends of drowning statistics in each Victorian local government area over the past decade. It found that in Frankston, swimmers aged between 15 and 24 were at the highest risk of drowning.
“This is the second consecutive year that the Victorian drowning toll has bucked what had otherwise been a downward trend. We’re urging Victorians to be vigilant around water to help put an end to drownings and prevent further tragedy,” LSV research and evaluation manager Dr Hannah Calverley said
“Despite slightly fewer fatalities than last year’s record-breaking toll of 61, the reality is that 53 lives were lost [statewide] to drowning this year – that’s 53 too many. My heart goes out to everyone affected,” she said.
The 53 deaths in Victoria were recorded between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022. LSV estimates that during that time, 111 people narrowly avoided a fatal incident.
Incorrect life jacket use is proving fatal for swimmers. The report found that 55 per cent of boating-related drowning deaths in the last decade occurred when the person was not wearing a life jacket, A further 23 per cent of people who drowned were not wearing their life jackets correctly.
Nathan Hardinge, his five-year-old son, and his nephew spent more than an hour stranded in the waters of Western Port after an accident in 2017. He said that without their life jackets, they may have died.
“It’s a chilling thought, but if we didn’t have lifejackets on, we wouldn’t be here today,” he said. “There’s no reason not to wear a lifejacket or have a way to call for help. If you have to learn that the hard way, chances are it will be too late.”
Safe Transport Victoria recreational boating safety manager Gareth Johnson has also urged people to wear their life jackets.
“There’s a bit of a misconception that lifejackets get in the way, but that simply isn’t the case. There’s a lifejacket for every occasion and modern styles are comfortable and easy to wear,” he said.
“A lifejacket is the single most important piece of safety equipment on a recreational vessel, and wearing one while boating isn’t just recommended, it’s legislated.”
With Keith Platt
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 13 December 2022
