RESIDENTS have once again been urged to take care on waterways following the tragic drowning of a kayaker at the weekend.
The 24-year-old Echuca resident was kayaking near Leitchville on Saturday when he encountered difficulty and fell into the water.
Despite attempts to save him, his body was found by police on Sunday at about 1pm.
Swan Hill Police Sergeant Stan Atkins said as the weather warmed up police would make more frequent patrols of waterways but that basic safety precautions were “paramount” by those using lakes and rivers recreationally.
He said while alcohol had not been a contributing factor in the incident over the weekend, it was the cause of an alarming number of drowning deaths on Victorian waterways.
“What we’re saying is alcohol and water don’t mix and life jackets are paramount,” Sgt Atkins said.
“As the weather warms up we will be patrolling the lakes, our coverage of the river area is increased, and we have the water police randomly coming up.”
The death follows the release of a report by Lifesaving Victoria revealing 47 people drowned in waterways in 2013-14, the highest number in a decade.
The Murray River had the highest number of drowning deaths in inland Victorian waterways.
Lifesaving Victoria has used the figures to call for an increase in lifeguards for lakes and rivers across the state, but Sergeant Atkins said the most important measure was “common sense”.
For more on this story, pick up a copy of Wednesday’s Guardian (December 10).
