The statistics on drowning deaths and non-fatal drowning incidents in the Goldfields-Esperance region are concerning and have raised awareness about the need for greater water safety education and training in the region.
Between 2009 – 2019 there were 17 drowning deaths in the Goldfields region, which was the 6th highest drowning rate in WA. A further 23 people were hospitalised following a non-fatal drowning incident.
Swimming was the top activity which led to these incidents (35%), followed by fishing (23%) and recreating (12%). The top locations where these incidents took place were:
- Ocean/harbour (35%)
- Beach (29%)
- Home Pool (12%)
Contributing factors were:
- Remote or very remote locations (82%)
- Environmental factors e.g. poor weather/water conditions (60%)
- Inexperience or unfamiliarity with location (47%)
- Consumption of alcohol (41%)
Of the incidents where alcohol was a contributing factor, the average blood-alcohol concentration was more than three times the legal limit for driving (0.155%).
The Shire of Esperance was the most common area where drowning incidents occurred. 75% of those who drowned were male.
More than half of fatal drownings involved a tourist or visitor to the area.
Priority areas for drowning prevention include:
- Males - are 2.5 times more likely to drown than females in the Goldfields-Esperance region
- Toddlers aged 0-4 years
- People swimming alone
- Water safety in remote or very remote areas
- Alcohol-related drowning
You can download our snapshot of drowning data in the Goldfields region below.