Photo: Supplied / Water Safety New Zealand
As New Zealanders prepare for the holiday season, water safety advocates are urging the public to take extra care when participating in underwater activities.
The call comes in a year marked by several tragic diving incidents involving members of the Chinese community.
In August, Wellington real estate agent and recreational scuba diver Chiu Minh Looc died at Lowry Bay in Lower Hutt.
In November, Takapuna Grammar School mathematics teacher Kevin Hu died in a diving accident in Fiji.
Another case involved missing diver Jinting Guo, with a coroner ruling that Guo most likely drowned while freediving alone after his shin bone was discovered earlier in the year.
Rob Hewitt, Kaihautū Māori of Water Safety New Zealand Photo: Supplied / Water Safety New Zealand
Rob Hewitt, Kaihautū Māori of Water Safety New Zealand, said rising living costs have prompted more New Zealanders to gather their own seafood, a trend that demands greater awareness of water safety.
He said four Asian men had drowned this year while collecting seafood.
"We are seeing a bit of a peak this year," Hewitt said.
"Two were rock fishing, and two were involved in scuba diving or freediving. They were all male and they were aged between 35 and 50."
To reduce the risk of drowning, Hewitt said divers should keep their equipment properly maintained, undertake formal training and undergo a medical check with their GP before heading out.
"Make sure that you're physically fit," he said."Go and get a medical check, because some of the drownings we're talking about involve heart attacks or strokes underwater."
Hewitt said diving alone should always be avoided.
He advised divers to tell family or friends where they planned to go and when they expected to return.
Photo: Supplied / Water Safety New Zealand
Tom Karstensen, president of the New Zealand Underwater Association agreed.
He said divers should understand their limits and always dive with a buddy.
He also emphasised the importance of getting local knowledge before diving in an unfamiliar area.
"In different parts of New Zealand, the hazards can be completely different," he said.
"If you're diving somewhere you don't know, you should be getting local knowledge - reaching out to a dive shop or a dive club or talking to people who know the area - to learn about local hazards and the weather conditions in the area."
Karstensen said maintaining communication and having the ability to call for help was crucial.
He recommended divers take at least one or two communication devices with them when heading out.
He added that people should be strong and confident swimmers in open water before attempting a dive.
"If you're not comfortable swimming in open waters, then you shouldn't be putting yourself in a position where you might end up out of your depth," he said.
"Always start within your limits and go with experienced people."
Water Safety New Zealand's statistics show that an average of eight people die each year in snorkelling, diving and freediving incidents.
Since 2010, 107 people have drowned during underwater activities, with Māori accounting for 30 percent of these deaths, Europeans 48.6 percent and people of Asian ethnicity 14 percent.
In 2024, four New Zealanders drowned while taking part in underwater activities, three of them while freediving.
Five people have died in underwater accidents so far this year, with four freediving fatalities and one involving scuba diving.
The 10-year data shows that scuba-related deaths have historically been the most common, but in recent years an increasing proportion of fatalities now involve freediving.
For those planning to dive for seafood this Christmas, New Zealand Police have also reminded the public to take extra caution.
- Don't dive alone.
- If diving from a boat, it is a legal requirement to display a dive flag.
- Freedivers and swimmers more than 200 metres from shore are recommended to use a float; scuba divers are advised to carry a safety sausage that can be deployed on the surface.
- Always check the weather and tide conditions before departing.
- Make sure you have the right equipment and keep it well maintained.
- Check whether any medications you are taking are compatible with diving and get a medical check-up if needed.
- If you have had COVID recently, particularly if you were hospitalised or received medical oxygen, see a diving doctor to ensure you are fit to return to the water.