It is with sadness that I introduce this, our 2013 Drowning Report. Despite earlier indications suggesting a substantially lower toll than 2012, after completion of coronial reports, the 2013 drowning toll has been finalised at 107, only one less than the prior year. A further 171 people were hospitalised as a result of water immersion incidents. This is a tragic loss of life, and we in the water safety sector believe that many of these drownings could have been prevented.