Still too many unnecessary boating deaths

Still too many unnecessary boating deaths

This week is Safer Boating Week and there are still too many Kiwis dying at sea in recreational boating accidents.

These deaths are preventable through wearing life jackets and a couple of forms of communication, but people are still not doing the right thing.

Distraught families are left behind and, in many cases, the deaths are totally avoidable.

In 2014, 27 people died, and in 2015, there have been 16 deaths in recreational boating accidents. That makes it a total of 43 unnecessary deaths.

Ninety percent of those deaths were men aged between 30 and 60 years old.

It's alarming and sometimes an $80 lifejacket can make all the difference.

Story went on a genuine rescue mission and experienced first-hand just how fast things can go wrong in the water.

Watch the video for the full Story report.