Australia has experienced a spike in drowning deaths in the summer of 2020/2021 after fitness levels plunged during Covid lockdowns, a top lifesaver has warned.
At least 55 people have died as a result of drowning this summer alone, compared to just 43 at this time last year.
According to Liam Krige, the general manager at Life Saving Victoria, the staggering amount of drowning deaths this season is done to dwindling fitness and a blase attitude to the dangers.
'The sad reality is that people think it's not going to happen to them, or that they don't need to worry about it,' Mr Krige told The Age.