A YALLOURN North man drowned after his kayak became tangled in brush and overturned near Walhalla on Friday.
A Victoria Police spokesperson said the man and a friend set off from the Thomson River Dam at around 10:30. The incident occurred at about 13:30.
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When he did not resurface after the roll, the man’s friend attempted to find him.
“He has managed to find his friend and pull him from the water onto the riverbank,” police media officer Leonie Johnson said in a media release.
“Despite his best efforts to revive him, he died at the scene.
“The deceased man’s friend has gone for help and managed to flag down a passing car on Narrows Track.
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“A short time later they have then come across members from the Baw Baw Highway Patrol to report the incident about 16:20.”
A report by the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia found over one third of drowning deaths in the July 2014 to June 2015 period occurred in inland waterways, which includes rivers, creeks, lakes and dams.
“Each and every case in this report represents a very personal story that will have caused great sorrow for families, friends and communities,” Royal Life Saving Society Australia CEO Justin Scarr said in a media release.
As the weather warms up more people will head to outdoor water recreation spots, but even though it is not summer yet the life saving society suggests watergoers be cautious.
“Overall, only one third of all drowning deaths occurred in Summer. 41 per cent of all drowning deaths happened between midday and 18:00,” a spokesperson said in a media release.
