Experts look at coastal drownings

Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib has chaired an expert roundtable looking at how more lives can be saved on NSW beaches after more than a dozen coastal drownings this summer.

The Coastal Water Safety Roundtable bought together rescue organisations, researchers and government agencies following a rise in water-related fatalities in recent years, with surf lifesavers also called on to make an increasing number of rescues.

Tragically, there were 14 coastal drownings in NSW this summer, and 36 in total since 1 July 2023.

This follows 48 drownings in 2022-23, a 12 per cent increase on the 10-year average , and 52 in 2021-2022.