July witnessed a significant rise in drowning incidents in Sweden, with 30 fatalities reported, marking the deadliest month in years. The Swedish Life Saving Society highlights the need for increased awareness and safety measures, especially among older men who are more prone to overestimating their swimming abilities.
July Marks Deadliest Month for Drownings in Years
July Marks Deadliest Month for Drownings in Years
July became one of the worst months in years regarding the number of drowning incidents. Thirty people lost their lives in seas, lakes, and pools, according to figures from the Swedish Life Saving Society.
– I hope people are alarmed by these statistics. It's important to discuss this at home, says Secretary General Mikael Olausson.
The figure is a significant increase from July last year when 19 people died in drowning accidents. The last time so many died was during the extremely hot and sunny summer of 2018 when 35 people died in July, and before that in 2014 with 39 deaths.
A total of 71 people have died this year up to July, compared to 55 during the same period last year.
– It's during hot summers that the numbers rise, says Mikael Olausson.
Many Older Men
Of the 30 deceased, two were children and two were women. The rest were men, many of whom were over 60 years old.
– We can see that this is a persistent trend. We think it's a behavioral issue. Men are likely to swim alone more often and overestimate their abilities, says Mikael Olausson.
In addition to the 30 deaths, a Swedish citizen who drowned abroad in July has been documented. There are also a handful of incidents where the circumstances are unclear, which may lead to an increase in the number of drowning deaths.
Don't Swim Alone
The Swedish Life Saving Society will continue to focus on communicating their advice to make both the public and individuals more aware of the dangers.
– I hope people are alarmed by these statistics. When it comes to individuals, it's important to discuss this at home, especially with grandfathers, says Olausson.
He also criticizes the municipalities.
– Generally, we can see that municipalities are negligent in conducting risk analyses at their public swimming areas. However, they are happy to include these areas in their marketing to attract tourists. But some do their homework, especially those certified as a "Water Safe Municipality." In Halmstad, for example, they have lifeguards at Tylösand, which we believe contributes significantly to the safety of that beach, says Mikael Olausson.