Whangamatā Coastguard president Steve Coatham said strong offshore winds had presented challenges in recent weeks. Photo/Al Williams
Whangamatā Coastguard president Steve Coatham said strong offshore winds had presented challenges in recent weeks. Photo/Al Williams
Provisional Water Safety New Zealand figures show that in 2024 there were 18 watercraft (powered and non-powered) fatalities.
Coastguard New Zealand said 16 of the 18 who lost their lives were not wearing lifejackets.
“That could have been 16 lives potentially saved had they been wearing one,” a spokesperson for Coastguard New Zealand said.
“As the holiday season sees many of us exploring new destinations, it’s important to stay mindful of local conditions, especially on the water; we’ve observed that unfamiliarity with local environments can sometimes catch people off guard.
“For instance, we’ve received reports of unexpected challenges, such as winds affecting boaties and water users.”
Fatalities involving powered craft had risen sharply, making up 21% of all drownings in 2024, an increase from the 10-year average of 12%.
The rise was closely linked to a concerning spike in fatalities in tidal waters and during bar crossings, which had surged from 10% to 23% in 2024.
Coastguard Whangamatā were called to tow on vessel from the Aldermen Islands, about 20km off the coast of Tairua and Pāuanui, on Friday last week. The operation took about five hours.
Water Safety New Zealand said the findings underscored the urgent need for continued and enhanced bar crossing education and increased lifejacket use to improve safety in high-risk environments.
Coastguard concerns echoed recent Surf Life Saving NZ reports outlining strong offshore winds, particularly in the afternoons, which were presenting challenges.
Six teenagers found themselves in an awkward spot just off the coast of Whangamatā late in the afternoon on December 31. They had two paddle boards with three people on each board, and one paddle on each board.
They had to be assisted by an inflatable rescue boat (IRB) after winds blew them offshore.
In a separate incident on January 3, also at Whangamatā, two teenagers were assisted by members of the public as they had fallen out of their kayaks and also drifted offshore. Neither of them were wearing lifejackets.
“To help keep everyone safe, we encourage all water users to check weather forecasts, understand local conditions, always carry the right safety equipment including two forms of communication, and if you’re on a powered (boat, jet ski, yacht) or non-powered craft (kayak, SUP etc) to wear a lifejacket,” the spokesperson said.
Between December 1 and January 5, Coromandel received 10 reports of kite surfers/ wing foilers/wind surfers/ paddleboarders in difficulty compared to four for the corresponding 2023 period.
“You could possibly attribute that potentially to the wind we’ve been experiencing but we can’t confidently say they were all because of that without looking at all of the reports individually.
“In addition, we’ve had ten kayakers in difficulty from the start of summer to January 5, which could be weather related but can’t confidently say they all were.”
Water Safety New Zealand provisional drowning statistics for 2024, showed a reduction in preventable drowning incidents.
The data revealed a total of 71 preventable drownings, down from 90 in 2023 and below the 10-year average of 83.
Drowning statistics for 2024 marked the lowest total since 2018 (66) and the third lowest in nearly two decades.
Males, particularly those older than 55, continued to be the most at risk, with rivers and beaches remaining the most hazardous environments.
Activities such as kai gathering, “taking a dip” or swimming, and slips and falls are still over-represented in the statistics, and Māori and Pasifika communities face persistent vulnerabilities.
