Alex Trelinski
A BIG rise in drownings has been reported over the first six months of 2024, with 61 deaths reported alone in June, according to the Royal Spanish Federation of Rescue and Lifesaving (RFESS).
The June figure was the second highest for any month since June 2017 which reported 70 fatalities.
198 people drowned in the first half of this year- up 16% on the same period in 2023, and only surpassed in recent years back in 2016 and 2017.
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The statistics cover all aquatic areas including beaches, rivers, swimming pools, and water parks.
Alberto Aguilar, coordinator of Emergencies and Civil Protection of UNIVERSAE, said: “These figures clearly show us that there is still a lot of work to be done over providing awareness and information to bathers.”
“The rise in June of incidents makes it difficult to establish a clear pattern,” he added.
Aguilar pointed out that on coasts there were combinations of adverse weather factors, such as strong waves and internal currents.
Crowds, sudden changes in temperature or overconfidence are other circumstances that can lead to a loss of consciousness due to heat stroke or cardiac arrest that then leads to drowning.
“In addition, June is a month where not all coastal areas have a lifeguard service which increases the risk of incidents with the other factor being recklessness or overconfidence,” added Aguilar.
Galicia, Andalucia and the Valencian Community were the regions that have reported the most drownings so far this year- accounting for nearly 30% of the national total.
Beaches were the places with the most incidents with 104 deaths in the first half of the year and 42 in June alone.
43 people lost their lives in the rivers, five of them in June; while 11 died in swimming pools, seven of those last month.
The remaining 40 people (with seven in June) died in other areas such as reservoirs, water parks or swamps.
According to the Royal Spanish Lifesaving Federation, people aged between 55 and 74 registered the most fatalities in the first half of 2024, with 66 deaths.
“Most drownings are elderly victims, exposed to some type of condition, a sudden loss of consciousness or a heart problem,” said Alberto Aguilar.
