Majority of Kiwis unable to identify deadly rip currents 25 Jan, 2021 12:44 AM 3 minutes to read Wanganui Midweek A worrying new study has highlighted that up to 78 per cent of beachgoers in Aotearoa New Zealand are unable to spot rip currents (rips) in the surf, increasing the risk that they may inadvertently end up caught in one. On average, five people fatally drown in rip currents on our beaches each year and a further 700 people require rescue. The study, conducted as part of a collaboration between Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) and beach safety experts at the Universities of Canterbury, Auckland, Waikato, and UNSW Sydney, found that most beachgoers were unable to accurately identify rips.