Data-driven

drowning

insights

and

information.

New Zealand has a high fatal drowning rate compared to other Western nations such as Australia, Canada and the UK. For the past ten years our rate has been 1.68 per 100,000 of population and for 2023 is 1.72. In comparison, Australia's per capita rate is 1.1 and Canada's 1.3.

Last Updated: 16/10/2024

Drowning Insights

Up to date drowning insights.

Drowning Insights

Drowning Blackspots

Water Safety New Zealand invests in data science to understand more about drowning risks – who, where, doing what, and what goes wrong. Our initiative to use Drownbase™ to identify New Zealand’s top ten blackspots – locations with very high incident and fatality rates – is a significant step forward for prevention and water safety.

Blackspots List

Name

Action

Piha Beach

Muriwai Beach

Bethells Beach

Princes Wharf

Papanui Point

Wellington

Lake Pupuke

Kariotahi Beach

Manukau Heads

Mount Maunganui

Our methodology finds the number of fatal incidents within a two kilometre radius around every locality in NZ since 1999. It wasn't until 1999 that latitude/longitude pairs were first stored in the DrownBase system which previously had only stored the territorial authority where the death occurred.

This means we have 25 year totals for every locality in New Zealand. Choosing the locations with more than 10 fatal incidents leads to ten WSNZ Black Spots.

Blackspots Map

Drowning Report

2023 Water Safety New Zealand Drowning Prevention Report

View Report

Drowning Reports & Data Insights

Data-driven insights are used to support advocacy and reduce preventable drowning, water-related injury and hospitalisations.Detailed data enables identification of trends, high-risk areas, and vulnerable groups to target interventions. Quarterly snapshots and other activity-focused data will be published regularly.

2023 Drowning Prevention Report

2022 Drowning Prevention Report

2017 Drowning Prevention Report

2016 Drowning Prevention Report

2015 Drowning Prevention Report

2014 Drowning Prevention Report

2013 Drowning Prevention Report

2012 Drowning Prevention Report

2011 Drowning Prevention Report

Data News & Insights

Latest news, media, and quick reads related to data, research, and insights from Water Safety New Zealand.

Uncovering the causes of Blackspot Drownings: Deep Dive into Papanui Point

Deep Dive into Papanui Point

94 lives lost to drowning in 2022. The most drowning deaths in a decade

Water Safety New Zealand Official Drowning Report - 2022

Predictive Modelling Warns: Worst Year for Drowning this Century.

Water Safety New Zealand Highlights Grim Forecast as Water Safety Awareness Month Begins

Drowning Crisis Unveiled: WSNZ's 2023 Data Shows Devastating Trend in Water Safety

In a sobering update, Water Safety New Zealand (WSNZ) has released its provisional 2023 drowning data, revealing a persisting challenge in our national drowning rate.

Requesting Drownbase™ Data

Comprehensive data is available in published reports. If you have a data request not covered by publicly available information, please email us:

Email Contact: wsnz@watersafety.org.nz

Level 6/5 Willeston Street, Wellington Central, Wellington 6011, New Zealand

Media Enquiries

We actively seek opportunities to work with all media organisations. Please email us if you want to help save lives.

Email Contact: elizabeth@watersafety.org.nz

Level 6/5 Willeston Street, Wellington Central, Wellington 6011, New Zealand

Drowning Insights

Drownbase™

DrownBase™ contains records of all drowning deaths that have occurred in New Zealand’s waterways since 1 January 1980. DrownBase™ also records all water-related hospitalisations requiring a stay in hospital since 2003 and categorises them in a variety of ways.

Open Data Sets

Name

Period Begin

Period End

Action

2018 - 2022 Open Data Set

1 Jan 2018

31 Dec 2022

Download

If you have a data request not covered by publicly available information, please email us: wsnz@watersafetynz.org.nz
‍
We need to prioritise requests based on our capacity.

Quarterly drowning data for Wai Ora organisations

Name

Period Begin

Period End

Action

Q3 2024

July

September

Download

The data ‘periodic table’ organises drowning incidents by variables such as age, ethnicity, activity, and environment.
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This report provides a clear and comprehensive picture of the factors contributing to drownings. Data representation of this form increases the ability of Water Safety New Zealand and our delivery partners to tailor interventions to specific groups most at risk.

Drowning Insights

2024 Drowning Fatalities to Date

This is the provisional fatal drowning total for 2024 year to date.

This Time Last Year - Drowning Fatalities

Is the number of drownings recorded at the same time in 2023. Note: This includes six drowning deaths due to Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023.

2023 Drowning Fatalities

This is the number of Preventable drowning fatalities in the 2023 calendar year. Note: This includes six drowning deaths due to Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023.

2023 / 24 Summer Drowning Fatalities

01 December 2023 - 29 February 2024.

2022 / 23 Summer Drowning Fatalities

01 December 2022 - 28 February 2023. Note: This includes six drowning deaths due to Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023.

Male Drownings

As a gender split, 83% of 2023 drowning fatalities were male. 17% were female.

Drowning Blackspots

2023 Water Safety New Zealand Drowning Prevention Report

Drowning Reports & Data Insights

Data News & Insights

Requesting Drownbase™ Data

Media Enquiries

Drownbase™