EIGHT people have died at Mornington Peninsula beaches and waterways over the last year.
There were more deaths in Mornington Peninsula coastal areas between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024 than there were in any other Victorian municipality. Surf Life Saving Australia’s annual National Coastal Safety Report, released last week, showed that eight people died on the Mornington Peninsula in that timeframe.
In total, Surf Life Saving Australia recorded 258 coastal deaths nationally in 2023/2024. 150 died from drowning, with 26 of those drownings occurring in Victoria. More than 80 per cent of drowning victims nationally were male, and every single drowning death occurred outside of a patrolled area. Victoria’s death toll from drowning increased 37 per cent compared to the year prior, and is 38 per cent larger than the 10-year average.
Lifesavers made nearly 9000 rescues across Australia during 2023/2024. Surf Life Saving Australia CEO Adam Weir said he is “incredibly proud of the work of our volunteer surf lifesavers across the country who performed a record number of preventative actions which has ensured this drowning number was not significantly higher. Never before have our surf lifesavers been asked to do so much.”
“We are deeply saddened by the drowning numbers this past year, each one was preventable and one death is one too many,” Weir said. “The numbers are alarming and we encourage everyone to take notice. “We want to ensure everyone can enjoy our coastline safely and return home to loved ones. Our message remains simple: swim at patrolled locations, know your limits and be aware of your actions and decisions around the water”.
First published in the Mornington News – 24 September 2024
