NSW boating fatalities take a big dive

The state recorded nine recreational boat-related deaths over the last 12 months – a 40 per cent drop on the previous 12-month period but a number that acting NSW Maritime executive director Cherrie Ashford said was still too high.

“I’d like to thank everyone who played their part in making our waterways safer over the last 12 months. I want to acknowledge the huge efforts of our NSW Maritime officers, the Centre for Maritime Safety and marine rescue agencies who have helped us achieve the lowest number of fatalities in five years,” Ashford said.

“I’d also like to commend the boating community for prioritising safety and looking out for each other. A member of the public is often first on the scene in an emergency, and several lives have been saved because of their quick thinking.”

Over the last year NSW Maritime has focussed on safety on the water, educating boaters on how even small changes and checks before heading out can be important in an emergency situation.

It has included five targeted safety campaigns that have included the problem areas of crossing bars and safely towing people behind a boat.

However, life jacket use in the state has still been responsible for three in every 10 safety breaches out on the water, showing that the message still isn’t getting through to all boaters.

One of the most dramatic rescues in the state over the last 12 months was 17 people saved from a catamaran after it caught fire on Sydney Harbour in February.