A new report from the BC Coroners Service is urging caution from boaters and beachgoers on World Drowning Prevention Day.
Tuesday, July 25, marks World Drowning Prevention Day, a day declared by the United Nations in 2021 to, “highlight the tragic and profound impact of drowning on families and communities and to offer life-saving solutions to prevent it.”
The BC Coroners Service says its report showed 101 people died by accidental drowning in B.C. in 2023. Fatal drownings were most common during the summer months, especially in July, when there were 18 recorded.
“Our report looked at a 10-year period between 2013 and 2023, and we can see there is a higher percentage of drownings in the province during the months of May through August,” said the acting chief coroner, John McNamee. “Our report gives great clarity to the many dangers that water can hold. In 2023, just seven of those who died were not from B.C., so we hope both residents and visitors will take extra steps to enjoy water-based activities safely.”
The report showed that men accounted for most of the deaths, which predominately happened in rivers, creeks, ponds, and lakes. Nearly one in five of the deaths happened while the person was boating, and the same percentage of people were between 19 and 29-years-old.
The service says, that while it doesn’t yet have the data for 2023, alcohol and drugs were found to be a contributing factor in 39 per cent of accidental drowning deaths in previous years.
The executive director of Boating BC says boating sober is especially important to prevent drownings. He said it’s easy to learn the rules about consuming alcohol on the water.
“There’s a lot of misconceptions as to what is legal and what isn’t legal out there if you do not have a washroom — a head on board, a galley, a kitchen, and sleeping births: open alcohol is not allowed on a boat, and of course, the driver of the boat, the captain of the boat, is never allowed to be drinking,” said Hayne.
If you’re headed to the water this summer, the Coroners Service and Boating BC urge you to wear a life jacket, tell someone where you plan to go, keep children within arms reach, and never leave them unsupervised.