WA records seventh drowning death since Christmas

WA’s record summer drowning death toll continues to rise after a 56-year-old woman died in waters off Hellfire Bay on Saturday – the seventh casualty since Christmas.

Emergency services were called to the bay in Cape Le Grand National Park around 1pm on Saturday after receiving reports of a swimmer in distress.

The beach is considered one of the best in Australia.

The woman was recovered from the water by a group of bystanders who attempted to provide first aid, but the woman sadly could not be revived.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

WA’s drowning rate is the highest on record, with 12 lives lost since the start of summer.

Australia Day and New Year’s Day are the worst days for drowning across the country, according to an analysis of 12 years of fatal and non-fatal incidents.

Of the more than 4000 drownings found in ambulance, death and hospital data between June 2010 and June 2022, 86 were on Australia Day and 115 on New Year’s Day, meaning one in 20 fatal or near-fatal drownings occurred on those two days.

The research, published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, also showed public holidays, school holidays and weekends were associated with higher rates of drowning for every age group except those over 65.