Public urged to avoid Victoria Marine Lake after serious safety incident

03 July 2026

The public is being urged not to swim in, enter, or walk around the Victoria Marine Lake at West Park under any circumstances following a serious incident that highlighted the dangers posed by the deteriorating condition of the structure.

On 21 June 2026, a child was pulled through an opening in the seawall of the marine lake and swept into the sea.

Fortunately, the child was rescued and, following treatment at the Emergency Department, was discharged with minor injuries.

The incident has underlined the significant safety risks associated with defects in the structure and the powerful tidal forces that can occur as tides move in and out of the Marine Lake.

Infrastructure officers have since undertaken a further assessment of the site and are implementing immediate measures to reduce the risk, including; enhanced warning signage, consideration of additional physical barriers and engineering interventions.

The public is reminded:

• do not swim in or near the Victoria Marine Lake under any circumstances
• do not walk around the structure
• ​ensure children are closely supervised in the area

Minister for Infrastructure, Deputy Jonathan Renouf, said: "We are extremely fortunate that this serious incident did not result in a tragedy.

"While the child involved thankfully escaped with minor injuries, under different circumstances the outcome could have been far more serious, and potentially fatal.

"The safety of Islanders and visitors is our first and immediate priority.

"We are reinforcing existing safety warnings and urgently assessing further measures to reduce the risks posed by the current condition of the Marine Lake.

"I am asking everyone to follow the safety advice and stay out of the Marine Lake at West Park while this work is undertaken.

"Engineers are now assessing options to address the immediate risks and develop longer-term solutions for the site."

​