Drowning in fresh water was identified as Ivan Korolyov.

The teenager who tragically drowned on Freshwater Beach in Manly was described by his mother as a “shy and unassuming” boy who was adored by his two younger siblings. Daily Telegraph.

Ivan Korolyov, 18, went missing on Saturday evening when he and two of his friends went for a swim around 8 p.m.
His friends frantically searched in the water and continued to search on the shore without success, before calling 911 when he could not be found.

Tragically, the teen’s body was found in the water off Freshwater Beach at 9:15 a.m. Sunday.

On the Facebook account on Sydney’s northern beaches where the news of Ivan’s body was posted, his orphaned mother Anna Zolotukhina commented: “My son, my son.”

Ms Zolotukhina said he was adored by his two younger siblings and dreamed of going to university, successfully enrolling in sports and fitness courses at the Australian Catholic University.

“He was one of the strongest and nicest people I have ever known,” Ms. Zolotukhina said.

“He had just graduated from Mosman High… he was an avid parkour athlete.”

“He had many friends and two of them swam with him that day.”
Ms Zolotukhina said that her son was happy when he was outside.

“He trained every day. I have been practicing martial arts since the age of five, ”she said.

The Australian summer saw a spike in drowning deaths.

One person drowned throughout the summer, the Royal Summer Drowning Service said.

Last year, flood-related deaths from drowning caused a spike in deaths in February, but the death toll in February this year was even higher at 31, despite no large-scale flooding in urban areas in 2023.

A total of 90 people have died in Australian waterways and basins between 1 December 2022 and 28 February 2023.

Unfortunately, 10 percent of all drowning deaths this year were failed rescue attempts.

Justin Scarr, chief executive officer of the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia, said this year’s trends were deeply troubling.

“Last year was the worst year for summer drownings on record, and we were hoping there would be a significant decline given that there were fewer intense floods this year, but the number of drownings is still too high,” Mr Scarr said.

“This has to be the happiest time of the year, but between Christmas and January 2, when people came together across Australia, 22 people drowned. These are 22 families, friends and communities whose summer has become a period of mourning.

“The heat in February also caused a surge in drowning, with 17 percent of all summer drowning deaths occurring in this six-day period.

“So many communities have been affected by drowning this year, with the number of drownings increasing significantly in every state except Queensland and Tasmania.”

Originally published as Drowning in fresh water was identified as Ivan Korolyov.