As we present the 2023 Drowning Prevention Report, it is with a heavy heart that we acknowledge the 90 individuals whose lives were lost to drowning. This figure stands as a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the relentless need to promote water safety and drowning prevention.

This report serves as the formal record of preventable fatal drownings in New Zealand for the year 2023. It stands not just as a collection of statistics and analyses, but as a solemn acknowledgement and an act of honouring the individuals and their whānau who tragically lost their lives.