Photo: GettyAustralians drowned at a rate of almost one a day this summer, with middle-aged men the most likely to die. Startling figures from Royal Life Saving Australia show there were 86 deaths across the nation in the 90 days of summer that ended on February 28. Once more, males accounted for the vast bulk of drownings at Australian beaches, inland waterways including rives and lakes, and public and private swimming pools. Almost 60 percent of the drownings happened at beaches, about 30 percent in inland waterways, and 10 percent in public and home swimming pools. This summer's drownings included five deaths, just a few weeks apart, in the same area near Port Kembla, south of Sydney.

Source: Otago Daily Times April 10, 2021 02:26 UTC