Asian drownings trigger publicity campaign

Auckland water safety promoters hope material being launched this week will help to combat the increasing number of Asians drowning.

Statistics for last year showed that people of Asian origin accounted for about one in 10 of the country's 132 water deaths last year. Asians were third behind Europeans (60 per cent) and Maori (20 per cent) among ethnic groups.

WaterSafe Auckland project manager Teresa Stanley said anecdotal evidence from surf lifesavers and the Coast Guard suggested that rescues involving Asians were increasing.

One reason was simply the large increase in recent years in the number of Asian residents in Auckland through immigration.

But the Asian community also needed to know that they had "to respect the water".

"People who grow up in Auckland know that the west coast beaches are dangerous and we're respectful of that," she said.

"A number of Asian people cannot swim, but still jump in the water at Piha to cool off, or fish off rocks."

Since 1995, a quarter of Asians who drowned were involved in fishing-related activities.

The latest incident happened on Monday, when a 57-year-old Korean man died after slipping on rocks at Mullet Point, Warkworth, north of Auckland, while throwing a net into the water.

North Shore Mayor George Wood will launch the water safety material, aimed at community groups, on Saturday.

Meanwhile the Coast Guard said Monday's death was a timely reminder of the dangers of fishing from rocks.

Kawau Coast Guard vice-president Gavin Brough said Monday's death of Kwang Soo Kim, a Korean national, could have been avoided.

The Kawau Coast Guard recovered Mr Kim's body after desperate attempts by his friend failed to revive him.

Mr Brough said fishing from the rocks could be risky at any point around the New Zealand coast and people doing so needed to take extreme care.

He said they should wear a lifejacket to keep them on the surface if they did fall in and should never turn their backs on the sea.

"Mr Kim was not appropriately dressed. If he had had some flotation it would have helped keep him afloat and he might have survived," Mr Brough said.

All boaties and fishers should take care, although there was a growing awareness among boaties of the law which required them to carry a lifejacket for every person on the boat.

- NZPA