Over 600 near misses on NSW waterways

As thousands of people flock to the beaches during the Christmas holidays, the New South Wales waterways have spoiled the festive period with 630 rescues in three days.

Dominic Perrottet said the holidays remain a high-risk time for swimmers, surfers and boaters across the state.

“It’s great to see people flocking to beaches, rivers or pools across New South Wales, but I urge everyone to stay vigilant and stay safe in the water,” the prime minister said. said from Coogee Beach in Sydney on Wednesday.

Given that there are 4,000 rescues per year, the recent spike of more than eight per hour was cause for concern.

“There are simple steps families can take to stay safe,” Perrotet said.

“Supervise children, swim between flags, wear life jackets if necessary, and always listen to the warnings of paramedics.”

Emergency Services Minister Steph Cook said Surf Life Saving NSW’s strong volunteer base of 75,000 people is working in about 130 locations along the state’s coastline.

The water safety warning came a day after two teenagers died while being towed by a boat in northern New South Wales.

The girls, aged 13 and 14, hit a tree stump on the Namoi River, northwest of Tamworth, around 5pm on Tuesday.

they could not be revived.

Surf Life Saving Steve Pearce, who grew up in Tamworth, New South Wales, lamented the loss of life and said it would have a “rippling effect” on the community.

He warned that inland waterways were particularly dangerous.

55 people died in NSW waterways in 2021, making it the deadliest year on record.

“I don’t want to see this repeat itself again,” Pierce said.

‘One drowning is too many’

The incident is one of five fatalities in Australian waterways, including children, in Victoria and South Australia since Christmas.

The Royal Life Savings National Summer Drowning Toll has recorded 16 deaths so far.

Meanwhile, police in Wagga Wagga are looking for a swimmer who reportedly failed to surface while on the Murrumbidgee River on Tuesday.

The report was lodged with the police around 8:30pm and a search involving volunteers, SES, NSW ambulances and the police ensued.

The search resumed on Wednesday, even though no one had been reported missing to police.