Surf website ‘blackout’ to mark deaths
A MAJOR surf lifesaving body is blacking out its website after a shocking new report showed that a drowning happened every second day on Australian beaches over summer on average.
Surf Life Saving Australia says it was a “summer of tragedies”, with 49 coastal drownings between December 1 and February 28.
Surf Life Saving Queensland recorded 15 beach drownings since the start of the 2020-21 patrol season last July.
They included three in 36 hours when huge swells pounded the Gold Coast in February.
The Surf Life Saving Foundation is turning its website black every second day over April to mark the grim toll.
SLSA general manager coast safety Shane Daw said the loss of life at any time was devastating, let alone during the Christmas holidays.
“To have 49 coastal drowning deaths during what should be a time of celebration is far more reaching than most will ever know, with families, friends and loved ones also victims of these tragic events,” he said.
“In honour of the lives that have been lost on our coast over summer, the Surf Life Saving Foundation website will turn black every second day for the month of April to bring awareness to these shocking statistics.
“The black website is intended to highlight the dark days that these tragic drownings represent for families, loved ones and communities.”
Surf Life Saving Foundation chief John Brennan said it was hoped the “dramatic visual” would make people stop and take notice of surf safety messaging
“With 71 per cent of summer drownings occurring greater than one kilometre from a surf life saving service, we see this as an educational opportunity for the public to ensure they are visiting a patrolled location,” he said.
“Our volunteer surf lifesavers are trained and equipped to the highest level and can certainly be the difference between life and death when someone gets into trouble in the water.”
Mr Daw said education was key when it came to being safe on the coast and most, if not all, coastal drowning deaths, were preventable.