Man dies in Canberra river as life savers warn of elevated drowning risk over summer holidays

The country has recorded 32 reported drowning deaths in December, according to Royal Life Saving Australia data

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A 21-year-old man has died while swimming in a river on Canberra's southern edge, bringing the number of drowning deaths around Australia in December alone to 32.

The man was swimming in the Murrumbidgee river at Pine Island reserve, near Tuggeranong, with family and friends on Sunday afternoon but failed to resurface.

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