Statistics

Statistics

New Zealand is still in the unenviable position of having one of the higher drowning rates (1.5 per 100,000 for 2020) in the OECD, almost twice that of Australia. The Auckland fatal drowning rate for 2020 is 0.9. On this page we touch on some key statistics for New Zealand as a whole, with more specific regional data for the Auckland Region.

This data is sourced from DrownBase, managed by Water Safety New Zealand (WSNZ). The later data is provisional, due to availability of police / coroner’s reports.

2020 Provisional Auckland Region Preventable Drowning Fatalities
  • Total: 15
  • Gender: Male = 12; Female = 3
  • Age: 0-4 = 1; 5-14 = 3; 15-24 = 2; 25-34 = 2; 35-44 = 1; 45-54 = 1; 55-64 = 2; 65+ = 3
  • Ethnicity: Asian = 3; Maori = 2; NZ European = 5; Pacific Peoples = 1; Unknown = 2; Other = 2
  • Activity: Swimming = 6; Angling = 2; Underwater = 0 ( Scuba or Snorkelling); Boating = 3 (Under 4m = 1, Kayaking = 1, Dinghy = 1); Accidental Immersion = 4
  • Environment: Beaches = 7; Home pools = 2; Offshore = 1; Rivers = 2; Harbour = 3