Most drowning victims were men; a quarter were aged 65 to 74
Australia recorded 30 drowning deaths in 2025-26, the highest annual toll in nearly a decade, according to a Royal Life Saving Australia report distributed by Australian Associated Press and published by The Guardian on September 28. Fourteen of the 30 deaths involved more than one person, the organization said.
The toll marks the largest year-on-year spike since 2016-17, when 34 people drowned. Across the past decade, Royal Life Saving has recorded 229 drowning deaths in Australia — an average of 23 a year.
Multi-fatal incidents were frequently tied to boating, driving through floodwater, or people exploring unfamiliar environments, Royal Life Saving chief executive Justin Scarr said.
“The message is to know the swimming skills of all the people in your group,” Scarr said.
The organization’s data also break down who is dying. Of the 30 victims in 2025-26, 83 percent were men, 37 percent were born overseas, and a quarter were aged between 65 and 74.
Nearly one-third of the fatal events were related to boating, the report found. Driving through floodwater and swimming were the other leading circumstances.