Increase in fatal recreational boating accidents

Sandvika. Pleasure boats. Photo: Jon Olav Nesvold / NTB scanpix

16 people have lost their lives in recreational boating accidents in the first half of 2017, a greater number than for many years.

 

During the same period last year, the number of people killed was 10. This year’s number is also higher than those in 2015, 2014 and 2013, reported NRK news.

Most of those who die in recreational boating accidents are men over the age of 50.

Life jacket requirement laws were introduced in 2015. The effects were seen last year, but now the trend has reversed.

‘I’d expected that we’d keep the good trend from last year on track, so I’m a little surprised that there has been such a big increase in the first half of 2017,’ said Dag Inge Aarhus, the Section Chief of Communications at the Norwegian Maritime Directorate.

He pointed out that it is a simple and straightforward life saving measure to wear a life jacket.

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today