Witnesses left horrified after 21-year-old drowns in Canberra

Authorities have renewed calls for residents to remain vigilant after swimmers witnessed a shocking tragedy at a popular swimming hole.

A Canberra woman was left horrified on Sunday afternoon when she witnessed a 21-year-old man scream as he drowned at one of the territory’s most popular swimming spots.

Speaking to ABC news, the witness said she heard “a man screaming from the water” saying “drowning” at Canberra’s Pine Island – a section of the Murrumbidgee River often frequented by residents looking to cool off.

Describing the conditions at the time as calm, the woman said she then saw a man rush to his assistance after asking other witnesses if they had a knife in case he needed to be freed.

Adding that the man appeared to be under water for around 5 minutes, the witness said she and other swimmers were asked to leave the area by emergency service workers who were called to the scene about 6pm.

It took police divers just under two hours to recover the mans body from the rugged water way. Picture: ABC

Police divers recovered the man’s body roughly two hours later, and will now prepare a report for the coroner after confirming the death was not suspicious.

The tragedy is the second of its kind this year following a similar incident in February, where a 23-year-old man drowned at Uriarra Crossing – another section of the Murrumbidgee River.

It comes after the drowning of three men and a girl across Canberra waterways last year lead Coroner Paula Russell to call for stronger safety measures in the region.

Ms Russell’s report found that in each of the incidents, there was “a lack of understanding of the danger that the river posed despite signage being present.”

Residents have been urged to learn the unique risks posed by the ACT’s natural waterways before taking a dip. Picture: ABC

“I recommend that the relevant agencies of the ACT government develop enhanced general and targeted public education and safety awareness programs which publicise the risks of river activities,” the report concluded.

Despite their popularity among residents, none of the natural waterways in the ACT are patrolled by life guards, with the territory’s water safety website warning “Water depth in rivers can change suddenly and there may be rocks and logs hidden below the surface.”

This week also saw the death of a 38-year-old Brisbane man at a Gold Coast Beach.

That tragedy followed another incident just six days earlier at Burleigh Heads, where a man was found face down in the water on Sunday December 22.

Life saving groups have long warned the period between Christmas and New Years has historically been the deadliest with respect to drownings.

Royal Life Saving Australia revealed new data last week that showed 26 per cent of all drowning deaths occurred during the same period last summer.

Originally published as Witnesses left horrified after 21-year-old drowns in Canberra