WE’LL ALWAYS REMEMBER PETER
13TH BEACH TRAGEDY: Tributes flow for Geelong businessman and father
A LOCAL chief executive and dad has been identified as the victim of a tragic drowning at 13th Beach on Saturday.
Peter Dostis, the cofounder and CEO of start-up accelerator Runway and a member of the Geelong Chamber of Commerce board, was one of two men who died along our coast.
“We will always remember him fondly,” Geelong Chamber of Commerce chief Ben Flynn said.
A LOCAL chief executive and dad has been identified as the victim of a tragic drowning at 13th Beach on Saturday.
Peter Dostis, the co-founder and chief executive of start-up accelerator Runway and a member of the Geelong Chamber of Commerce board, was one of two men who died due to incidents in local waters on Saturday.
Following a spate of local rescues, Life Saving Victoria is urging people to be safe by the water this Australia Day.
Surf Coast lifesavers and lifeguards completed about 15 rescues on Monday.
It followed 24 rescues across Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula and the Surf Coast over the weekend.
Mr Dostis, of Barwon Heads, died on Saturday after being pulled from the water off 13th Beach. He was 56.
He was swimming with two others in big surf when they got into difficulty about 5pm, according to police.
A 58-year-old man died at Anglesea on Saturday after his boat capsized.
Geelong Chamber of Commerce chief executive Ben Flynn said Mr Dostis had left a significant mark on the business community through both his position as chief executive of business incubator Runway and as a director of the chamber.
“His enthusiasm and relentless drive to do things better will always be our memory of Peter,” Mr Flynn said.
“A lot of business owners owe their success to Peter through the incubator and start-up programs at Runway.”
Mr Flynn offered condolences to his family. “We feel we have lost a really good friend, and we will always remember him fondly,” he said.
Life Saving Victoria’s (LSV) Liam Krige said LSV urged Victorians to take care around the water as the risk of drowning was 68 per cent greater on public holidays compared with other days.
“Since July 1, 2020, 42 people have drowned in Victorian waters,” Mr Krige said.
“This is extremely concerning and is the highest number of drowning incidents we have seen for this period since record keeping began.”
The figure included the two men who died locally on Saturday, which brought the number of drowning fatalities over 10 days to seven.
“Even one drowning is one too many, and we need people to make safety their priority around water to help us stop this trend in its tracks,” Mr Krige said.
“Go to patrolled locations at patrolled times, and swim between the red and yellow flags.
“Remember, no matter how strong a swimmer you are, the ocean is always stronger, and the conditions can change quickly.”
He said LSV encouraged swimmers to know their limits.
“Conditions can change in an instant, so make sure you’re always in control near the water,” he said.
“Victoria has beautiful waterways and they are there to be enjoyed, but you need to do it safely.”
Mr Krige said active supervision was key with kids.
“Twenty seconds is all it takes for a child to drown in just a few centimetres of water, so keep kids under five within arm’s reach and under 10s in eyesight,” he said.
“Check the local conditions before you swim and plan your day out in advance.”
To find patrol times and essential information about beaches near you, head to beachsafe.org.au.