ISSUE
Friday, August 22, 2025
Volume 16 . Issue 73
The latest drowning incident of an Indian girl visiting Australia for Pacific School Games has once again brought to attention water-safety concerns within the Kiwi-Indian community.
The fact that the tragic incident has happened in our Trans-Tasman neighbour does not make it of any less concern given the Indian community’s well-known tag of being a relatively less water-friendly community.
What matters is that the ill-fated girl and four other girls who got into trouble in water were students, not the best swimmers in the world and more importantly not the best educated about being water-safe in beaches and open seas – reinforcing the tag of Indian community being less water friendly.
The city Mayor where the incident happened, Stephen Patterson said the area was a treacherous spot that had claimed other lives in the past.
"There are signs near the actual breakwater itself alerting people to the fact there are strong currents," Mr Patterson told ABC News on Monday.
This news has come after the recent tragic drowning incident on our shores in West Auckland, where an Indian man Akhil Tangri, 21, was found dead in the water at Maori Bay near Muriwai, West Auckland on Friday, December 1.
Again, the beaches on the western coast of New Zealand are not for the ones who are either novice to water or are less willing to follow the safety instructions often mentioned clearly along the beaches.
It again comes down to decision making and applying common sense while being in the water.
People often underestimate nature’s power (of water) while overestimating their capabilities in water thus leading to momentary lapses of judgement often proving fatal.
There is a need for exercising caution and not leaving commonsense while being in water bodies this summer season.
The latest drowning incident of an Indian girl visiting Australia for Pacific School Games has once again brought to attention water-safety concerns within the Kiwi-Indian community.
The fact that the tragic incident has happened in our Trans-Tasman neighbour does not make it of any less concern...
The latest drowning incident of an Indian girl visiting Australia for Pacific School Games has once again brought to attention water-safety concerns within the Kiwi-Indian community.
The fact that the tragic incident has happened in our Trans-Tasman neighbour does not make it of any less concern given the Indian community’s well-known tag of being a relatively less water-friendly community.
What matters is that the ill-fated girl and four other girls who got into trouble in water were students, not the best swimmers in the world and more importantly not the best educated about being water-safe in beaches and open seas – reinforcing the tag of Indian community being less water friendly.
The city Mayor where the incident happened, Stephen Patterson said the area was a treacherous spot that had claimed other lives in the past.
"There are signs near the actual breakwater itself alerting people to the fact there are strong currents," Mr Patterson told ABC News on Monday.
This news has come after the recent tragic drowning incident on our shores in West Auckland, where an Indian man Akhil Tangri, 21, was found dead in the water at Maori Bay near Muriwai, West Auckland on Friday, December 1.
Again, the beaches on the western coast of New Zealand are not for the ones who are either novice to water or are less willing to follow the safety instructions often mentioned clearly along the beaches.
It again comes down to decision making and applying common sense while being in the water.
People often underestimate nature’s power (of water) while overestimating their capabilities in water thus leading to momentary lapses of judgement often proving fatal.
There is a need for exercising caution and not leaving commonsense while being in water bodies this summer season.
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