Australia: Easter Weekend Drowning Death Toll Rises to 7

story

APR 21

Above: People watch a large wave breaking on a rock pool at North Narrabeen Beach in Sydney on April 18, 2025. Image copyright: David Gray/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images

story last updated APR 22

The Spin

Narrative A

The dangerous conditions created unprecedented risks for coastal activities, with waves too powerful for safe recreation. Every drowning could have been prevented if beachgoers had observed the posted warnings and stayed away from the coastline while the dangerous swell impacted New South Wales.

Au Stuff

Narrative B

The unseasonably warm long Easter weekend was expected to draw a large number of people to the East Coast. This series of unusual events begs the question of whether a more comprehensive emergency response was warranted as the devastating waves approached.

ABC SBS News