Surf Life Saving drowning report: 360 lives lost in a decade and new approach needed 14 Mar, 2021 04:00 PM 5 minutes to read National beach and coastal safety report. Video / Surf Life Saving In the past decade 360 people have ventured out to our beaches and never returned home - and sadly the number of people drowning continues to rise each year. A new report out today reveals 42 people lost their lives on the coast last year, nearly a quarter of whom were out swimming or wading in the water. The Surf Life Saving National Beach and Coastal Safety report found beach and coastal-related fatal drownings have climbed almost 20 per cent in the last five years with the country's 10-year average now almost 50 per cent greater than Australia's per capita.