Canterbury Bankstown migrants had the highest number of fatal drownings
It’s a shocking wake up call: 11 drownings in five years with all victims born overseas, giving this southwest Sydney region a heartbreaking title.
The Express
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More people have drowned from the Canterbury Bankstown local government area than in any other council area over a five-year period, forcing the council to team up with Royal Life Saving NSW to prevent more deaths in the water.
During the period 2013/14 - 2017/18, 11 people from Canterbury Bankstown drowned, 73 per cent of which were male. All victims were mainly South East Asian and born overseas, according to the Royal Life Saving Society.
In the most recent case, on August 24, Bankstown rock fisherman Van Hai Tran, 66, went missing near Red Point at Port Kembla.
His body was only discovered on September 7, despite an extensive search by police and emergency services.
This is the largest number of deaths across NSW councils and has prompted the council to sign up with Royal Life Saving’s new Cultural Competence Program.
The state-wide drive to educate all industry employees comes two months after a Coroner’s Court inquest heard three life guards were chatting while 13-year-old Harry Nguyen drowned at Whitlam Leisure Centre, Liverpool, on March 20, 2016.
Harry, who was diagnosed with asthma when he was a few months old, was not a strong swimmer. As he struggled to swim across a 1.8m-deep pool, three lifeguards – aged 19, 19 and 25 – were talking for 30 minutes.
Deputy State Coroner Elaine Truscott found the lifeguards had failed in their duties during the hearing on October 4, 2019.
Like many southwest and western Sydney suburbs, Canterbury Bankstown’s large migrant population means a majority may have no swimming skills, according to Royal Life Saving NSW CEO Michael Ilinsky.
He said the Cultural Competence Program, developed by Multicultural NSW and SBS, for lifeguards and swim teachers, is targeted specially at hot spots.
“We have to start with first educating the industry personnel and then the residents so they can enjoy getting into the water,” Mr Ilinsky told The Express.
“Many migrants don’t know how to swim or have travelled through long stretches of water and have a fear of water.
“Many don’t know what an aquatic centre means.
“We have identified Canterbury Bankstown, Blacktown, Parramatta, Liverpool, Fairfield and Campbelltown as hotspots for our program.
“The drownings where Canterbury Bankstown residents were involved were mainly outside the city and we want to make sure the community knows the dangers of being in the water without learning to swim.
170M SPLASH FOR LEISURE CENTRES
“Learning to swim is a life skill and we want to make sure all residents are able to enjoy the water safely, especially in summer.”
Mayor Khal Asfour said: “Our community is one of the most culturally diverse in Australia, so it’s important council continues to promote safety messages to residents, when they are in and around water.
“Our lifeguards, swim teachers and administrative officers are participating in this program.
“This will build on our already popular Learn to Swim program, women-only Wimswim program, free CPR courses, and the NSW Department of Primary Industry’s Rock Fishing Safety Awareness Campaign.”
Mr Ilinsky said that for every fatal drowning, there are three survivors who have to deal with long-term health complications.