Victorian Drowning Report 2018/18

Annual report on drowning in Victoria. Tragically, 56 people in Victoria lost their lives to drowning this year. It was the state’s highest annual drowning toll in more than two decades and 17 more than the average number of drowning incidents in Victoria over the past 10 years (2008/09-2017/18). This figure represents a significant rise in the number of families coming home from a day on or around the water to live with the unfathomable reality of a lost loved one. The fatal drowning rate stands out for being the highest in 14 years; 38% higher than last year and a 29% increase on the 10-year average.