Fourteen people drowned in official holiday period, 180 per cent higher than average

A NZ Herald article.

Fourteen people have lost their lives in preventable drownings this holiday period, termed by water safety authorities as a “national tragedy”.

The “unprecedented” toll, occurring between 4am Christmas eve and 6am yesterday morning, represents a 180 per cent increase on the five-year average.

Since 2016 there has been an average of five preventable drownings throughout the holiday period.

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