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2025 Drowning Prevention Report

One drowning death is too many


Drowning remains the leading recreational killer in New Zealand. Each of the 78 people lost in 2025 are our family, friends, and loved ones.

There were four more deaths in 2025 than the previous year, but eight fewer than the 10-year average. The decline is being led by people under the age of 25. Meanwhile adults, particularly men without lifejackets and those gathering kai continue to be overrepresented in drowning numbers.

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Key statistics

This year’s report reveals consistent themes which are key to further reducing drowning.
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78 drowning fatalities

There were 78 recorded drowning fatalities in 2025 – four move than the previous year.

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Young keep improving

Young New Zealanders (under 25) are drowning at lower rates than ever before.

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Not OK by yourself

More than 55% of deaths (43) in 2025 involved people who were by themselves, two more than the 10-year average.

It remains consistently high.

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Risk for adult men remains high

Adult males over the age of 25 comprise of about 70% of fatalities. Overall, males account for 83% of deaths – a consistent theme for a number of years.

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More die fishing from land

There has been a significant increase in drowning deaths involving people fishing from land. There were 10 deaths in 2025, three more than the previous year.

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Our most at risk communities

There are clear groups with a higher risk of drowning in New Zealand. Asian New Zealanders had 12 deaths in 2025, Māori had 18 deaths, and a group of New Zealanders containing those of Middle Eastern, Latin America, and African descent had 11 deaths.

Key themes and findings

Drowning rates are declining but progress is slowing

New Zealand has made significant strides in reducing drowning rates, now at 1.35 per 100,000 people. However, recent trend analysis suggest a plateau, signalling the need for innovative strategies and increased resources to maintain momentum.

Young New Zealanders are safer than ever

Sustained efforts in water safety education, such as the Water Skills for Life™ programme, have contributed to a significant reduction in drowning rates among under-25s, who account for just 12% of fatalities (31% of the population).

Blackspots: High-risk locations identified

Ten blackspots, high fatality areas, were responsible for 18% of drownings in 2024. Focused, community-driven interventions are critical to address these high-fatality areas.

Lifejacket use would save lives

With 94% of craft-related fatalities involving individuals not wearing lifejackets, a nationwide mandate for lifejacket use on watercraft is urgently needed.

Alcohol’s role in drownings

Alcohol remains a factor in 30–40% of drownings, highlighting the need for campaigns addressing risky behaviours around water.

Economic impact

The economic burden of drowning fatalities, hospitalisation and injuries in 2024 exceeded $1 billion, reinforcing the urgent need for prevention-focused investment.

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Detailed breakdown

Data correct as of 19 Feb 2026
Total NZ drowning deaths
Environments
 Activities
Regions
Life stages

New Zealand drowning deaths - 2025

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78

Drowning deaths in 2025

78 people lost their life in drowning deaths in 2025.

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83

%

Adult males a stubborn fact

Males account for 83% of drownings in 2025 – a consistent theme for many years.

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86

10 year average

On average 86 people lose their lives to drowning every year.

Behind each of the 78 drownings deaths in 2025 is a loved one who we mourn. One drowning is too many.

Our country is blessed with a superb range of water environments, but each carries its own specific risks. It’s vitally important that people understand the safe ways to enter and engage with these different places – preparation, personal responsibility in gaining knowledge and matching your skills to the environment is critical.

Coast

Consistent with previous years, more deaths occur in coastal environments than elsewhere. There is a large gender disparity with men being 93% (27) of coastal deaths.

Tidal

There was a decrease of three in tidal deaths to 14 year-on-year, consistent with the 10-year average.

Rivers

There were 17 deaths in rivers in 2025. Slips and falls were the leading cause of drownings, indicating people finding themselves unexpectedly in trouble.

Offshore

Offshore environments registered three deaths in 2025, a marked decrease on 2024 (9).

Inland still

Inland still saw a dramatic increase in fatalities on 2024, with deaths climbing from three to nine. Swimming remained the highest risk activity in this evironment.

Pools

Pool environments continue to reflect improvements made around risk to children via prevention. The threats to child safety from temporary pools remain significant.

Home

Home environments continue to reflect improvements made around risk to children via prevention.

What we do in and on the water has a major impact on whether we have a fun and safe time with our friends and families. Each year we look at what people were doing when things went wrong to understand more about where to target programmes.

Swimming

15 people lost their lives while swimming in 2025, with 14 of the 15 drowning fatalities being male.

Craft

Craft activities were involved in 17 deaths. People on craft in tidal environments were the most at risk, with seven deaths.

Fishing from land

It was a tough year for land-based fishing drownings, with 10 deaths. All land-based fishing fatalities were male.

Underwater

People between the ages of 25 and 54 dominate the 10-year statistics for underwater drownings.

Slips and falls

There were 24 slips and falls drownings in 2025, "unexpected entry" remains a major challenge in reducing drownings.

Other recreation

These are activities undertaken for enjoyment, for example board riding, jumping, water skiing, river crossing etc.

The majority of New Zealand’s population lives in the North Island. Northern regions, where more people live, and conditions encourage more interaction with water continue to have the most drowning deaths. Tasman, Nelson and Marlborough in the South Island showed the way – recording no drowning deaths in 2025.

Northland

Auckland

Waikato

Bay of Plenty

Gisborne

Hawke's Bay

Taranaki

Manawatū-Whanganui

Wellington

West Coast

Canterbury

Otago

Southland

Drowning continues to impact people through all stages of life, but there are clear trends. The following data breaks life stages up into pre-schoolers (0 – 4 years), school-aged children (5-14 years), and young adults (15-24 years), then adults aged 25-54 and older adults for the 55+.

Preschool

School-aged

Young adults

Adults

Older adults

Key focus areas

Lifejackets and legislation

Wearing a properly fitted lifejacket makes people three times more likely to survive. It's a key prevention action that is no different to wearing a seatbelt in a car, helmet when cycling, or fencing your swimming pool.

If everyone wore a lifejacket on recreational craft while underway, an average or 12 lives could be saved every year, amounting to 120 lives over the next decade.

We and Coastguard Tautiaki Moana, along with many other partners, will be advocating for bold actions in 2026. This is our chance to change behaviours and save lives.

Alone

One of the greatest ongoing challenges in reducing drowning deaths is convincing people not to undertake water activities alone.

In the past ten years there have been 408 'alone' deaths – 310 of them male and 98 female.

More than 55% of deaths (43) in 2025 involved people who were by themselves, two more drownings than the 10-year average. The number of “alone” deaths has been consistently high in recent years. In 2024, a total of 33 ‘alone’ drownings were male and 10 female.

Auckland

Reducing drowning harm in Auckland will rely on courageous, co-ordinated action. Advancing change for the region’s Navigational Bylaw to make lifejackets compulsory on small vessels is a critical action.

Others likely include:

  • Increasing investment in community-led, sector-supported prevention for known at risk communities.
  • Accelerating Drowning Prevention Through Environmental Design (DPTED) so safer public spaces are built in from the start, currently with early support from Water Safety New Zealand and Surf Life Saving New Zealand. This will help to provide consistency as well as long-term safety across aquatic environments.

Blackspots and drowning risk

In 2025, a total of 11% of drowning deaths occured at identified blackspots. Lower than 18% in 2024, but a stubborn and concerning level.

While there has been targeted work involving a range of groups in relation to some blackspots, and more awareness through publicity of the areas, it is too early to draw a link between these efforts and 2025's results.

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View the report

Download the report

The 2025 National Drowning Prevention Report offers an in-depth analysis of trends by age, activity, environment, and region, along with data-driven solutions to address New Zealand's drowning problem.

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