Swim safe this summer

The beaches are calling, and learning a few swimming and lifesaving skills will prove beneficial

the shallow area or on the sand.

BY VINAYA RAI

Summer’s here and the beach is where we’ll head to as much as possible over the next few months. Sea shore, river banks or lakes – lovely cool water, and possibly water sports, make them the best place to be.

However, these idyllic thoughts about summer came to a halt when I read a line in an article that made me sit up and think, ‘One in four drowning deaths involved people born outside of Australia.’ The highest number of drowning deaths were of people born in China, New Zealand, England, South Korea and India.

Many of those drowned were long-term residents too. According to statistics, 29 per cent of drowning deaths (not just people of Indian origin) were those who had been residing in Australia for more than ten years. Similarly, 19 per cent had been living here for at least five years, while eight per cent were international students. Irrespective of the gruesome statistics, even one death by drowning is too much! And, these deaths are considered preventable.

Given the frequency of drowning deaths, it is imperative to be careful around water bodies. Most of us don’t know