Summer, sun, holidays – and then you forget to be careful: By the end of the summer, more people had died in swimming accidents in German waters than in years. According to statistics, 353 people drowned up to September 10 this year – in the same period last year there were 278 fatal swimming accidents, and in 2019 there were 365 up to this date.
“Despite all the appeals and numerous warning examples, people were repeatedly not careful enough when swimming and doing water sports,” said the President of the German Life-Saving Association (DLRG), Ute Vogt. This “sad development” had already become apparent in the middle of summer: “In the hot August, significantly more people drowned than in the previous year.” According to the information, 80 people died in the water nationwide in that month alone, 33 more than in August 2023. The last time there were more victims in one month was in August 2020, with 117.
6000 lifeguards deployed along the coast
According to the DLRG, around 6,000 volunteer lifeguards are on duty on the coasts during the season between the beginning of May and the end of September, guarding the beaches – seven days a week. In addition, around 49,000 volunteers ensure safety at lakes and in swimming pools, especially on weekends. The DLRG claims to be the largest voluntary water rescue organization in the world – and has more than 600,000 members.
According to the DLRG, drowning is defined as immersion in or under water, which leads to a life-threatening lack of oxygen. This can happen while the person is conscious or unconscious, for example after a fall or a head-first dive onto an obstacle under the water’s surface.
People over 50 more often affected
The number of deaths rose particularly among people aged 50 and over: According to the DLRG, 60 percent of the victims whose age was known were older than 50 – which was the case for half of the accident victims on average in the previous five years. “The constantly new temperature records are very challenging for the body,” said Vogt. “Suddenly occurring cardiovascular problems are even more life-threatening in the water.” She again advised people to go to supervised bathing areas to avoid risks. Men are once again at high risk; 77 percent of those who died while bathing were male.
By the end of the summer holidays in Germany, 12 children aged 10 and under had drowned – by 2023, there were 13 children of that age. Although this is a slight decrease, it is still a concern for DLRG rescuers because most children cannot swim safely by the end of primary school: “Anyone who does not learn this will remain at risk on, in and around the water for the rest of their lives,” warned Vogt. “Because being able to swim is just as much a part of life as reading, arithmetic and writing.”
Rivers and lakes particularly dangerous
Vogt called on politicians to provide more water areas and qualified teachers: “Only schools can reach all children.” Many schools are committed to training their students to be safe swimmers – 26 of them received a DLRG sponsorship award.
“Each of these schools is doing something special and is a shining example that will hopefully motivate as many others as possible to follow suit,” said the DLRG president. The DLRG referred to the Fasanenhof School in Stuttgart, for example. The pupils at this primary school received four years of weekly swimming lessons.
Among 11- to 20-year-olds, the number of fatal bathing accidents fell from 28 to 11 compared to the previous year. And it’s not just bathing and swimming that accidents keep happening; water sports enthusiasts are also at risk: According to the DLRG, 30 people drowned by the reporting date while stand-up paddling or canoeing – compared to 20 last year.
Rivers particularly dangerous
Lifeguards counted the most deaths in rivers and streams, with 134 victims compared to 103 in the same period last year, as of September 10. The last time there were more deaths in inland waters, namely 153, was in 2018. 133 people died in lakes and ponds, while in 2023 there were 120 fatal bathing accidents.
Significantly more people also died at sea – according to the DLRG, 28 deaths in the North Sea (3) and Baltic Sea (25) were not counted in the past ten years. In 2023, there were 14.
If you look at the individual federal states, Bavaria stands out with its many lakes – 58 people died there in swimming accidents this year. Last year, the figure was 50. In North Rhine-Westphalia, the number of victims rose from 38 to 52, and in Baden-Württemberg from 33 to 41.
There were also strong increases in Lower Saxony with 37 drowning deaths up to the reference date – the previous year there were 26 – as well as in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania with 24 after previously 14 drowning deaths and in Bremen: In the smallest federal state, 8 people drowned, while in the same period last year there were 2.
Hundreds of people rescued
At least there is also positive news: “By the end of August, our lifeguards on the North and Baltic Seas alone had rescued people in distress from life-threatening situations in the water in around 230 cases,” said DLRG President Vogt. In the entire 2023 season, 244 people were rescued there. In the current year, a comparable number of rescue operations will be carried out inland. The exact figures for this will not be collected until after the turn of the year, according to the information.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:240919-930-236782/1
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