In June 2023, France recorded 233 cases of drowning, 84 of which resulted in death. If their number is down compared to the same period in 2021, the situation is clouded by a significant increase in the proportion of deaths. “We must make efforts to reduce this trend”, warns Laëtitia Huiart, scientific director at Public Health France (SPF).
Last June, Public Health France recorded a 25% drop in the number of drownings compared to 2021 when, during the same period, 314 drownings had been reported. “In 2021, there was more exposure linked to the lifting of restrictions during Covid-19 and to weather conditions favorable for swimming, which could explain this difference”, explains Aymeric Ung, epidemiologist at the Department of Diseases. non-communicable and SPF trauma. However, the proportion of fatalities has increased: 36% of drownings were fatal in 2023, compared to 26% in 2021. Although these accidents affect all ages, 62% of deaths occurred in adults, compared to 47% in 2021, and only 5% in children under 6, according to SPF.
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As in 2021 and during episodes of high heat, the frequency of drownings was generally higher during the weekends, with a peak reached the last weekend of June 2023. The southern regions, and logically the coastal areas, are also the most affected: with 30 drownings in total, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes broke the record, followed closely by New Aquitaine which recorded 29 drownings.
These statistics highlight the need to strengthen prevention measures, public awareness and increased surveillance of aquatic activities in order to encourage compliance with safety instructions and bathing bans in the event of unfavorable weather. Children should also not be left unsupervised near water. “Over the rest of the year, it is important to emphasize that learning or relearning to swim can be done at all ages,” concludes Aymeric Ung.
