OFFICIALS: NUMBER OF DROWNINGS AVERAGE
Thursday, August 14th, 2008 -- 2:13 PM
State officials and news reports have documented at least 27 drownings in Wisconsin so far this year.But officials say there is no evidence of an increase in those accidental deaths.
The state Department of Health says 55 people died in drownings in 2006 in the state, the most recent year for which numbers are available.
The Department of Natural Resources tracks drownings in boating incidents. It says eight people have died this year through June compared with 18 for all of last year.
Marathon County has witnessed dramatically higher drownings this year - four so far compared to none a year ago. The most recent was a 52-year-old boater whose body was found Tuesday in Lake Du Bay.
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