TO AVOID the maritime fatalities seen in the 2011/12 period, water safety officials have warned inland water users to abide by all guidelines.
Transport Safety Victoria safety education manager Paul Corkill told The Guardian that there had been a total of 12 canoe/kayak incidents reported in 2011/12.
“Four of these incidents resulted in a fatality — two of these occurred on inland waters,” he said.
“The peak boating period occurs over the summer months and incidents are more frequent at this time of the year.”
Mr Corkill said there were a variety of safety measures water-users should always undertake before venturing into inland waters.
“Let someone know where you are going, your point of departure and when you plan to return,” he said.
“Ensure you have an approved personal flotation device [life jacket] for each person onboard and make sure they are wearing it.”
According to the NSW Office of Boating Safety and Maritime Affairs latest boating incidents report, there were 19 fatalities in NSW waters during the 2011/12 period.
Of those 19 fatalities 11 were attributed to drowning — all of whom were not wearing a lifejacket at the time of the incident.
For more on this story, see Wednesday’s edition of The
Guardian (09/01/13).
