In July, 30 people drowned in Sweden, marking the highest number since 2018. Authorities urge adults to stay vigilant and keep an eye on children, emphasizing the importance of putting away mobile phones to prevent further tragedies.
Urgent Call After Tragic July: 'Put Down Your Phones'
Urgent Call After Tragic July: 'Put Down Your Phones'
In July, 30 people drowned in Sweden – the highest number since 2018. The rescue services are now urging adults to look up from their screens and keep an eye on children.
– Put down your phones, pleads firefighter Linus in Arbetet.
July was a dark month in terms of drowning statistics. A total of 31 people died, 30 in Sweden – including two children, two women, and 26 men, several of whom were over 60 years old – and one in Mallorca.
This can be compared to 19 people in July last year.
Test Your Swimming Ability
The numerous drowning alarms have prompted several organizations to speak out. Among others, the Secretary General of the Swedish Lifesaving Society (SLS), Mikael Olausson, told TT that he hopes people will now "wake up" and "have the conversation at the dinner table." Especially with "grandpa and granddad," as many of those who die in drowning accidents are older men.
Many overestimate their swimming ability, and a recommendation from both SLS and rescue services is therefore to regularly test one's swimming skills.
Keep an Eye on Children
Additionally, younger children must be kept under constant supervision. A drowning can happen faster, and be quieter, than one might think.
– It can happen in seconds and occur without sound, says Matthew Fader, rescue developer at the Swedish Sea Rescue Society, in a comment.
He continues:
– The most important thing you can do is maintain constant supervision. Put down the phone. It only takes a few seconds of inattention for things to go really wrong.
Firefighter Linus from Stockholm has also reacted to parents who are glued to their screens.
– I don't know how many alarms we've responded to, with children who have disappeared in the water while parents were looking at their phones. And then the child is found at the ice cream stand, he tells Arbetet.
Don't Be Too Far Away
Not all cases have a happy ending, and the lack of attention can cost lives.
– Put down your phones and keep an eye on each other, says Linus to Arbetet.
Eva Schüler, water safety expert at Trygg-Hansa, has another warning. She tells TT that parents are often too far away from their children.
– If you're standing on the pier or the shore, it takes more than 20 seconds to reach a child who goes under the surface. Small children should never be further away from an adult than an arm's length, she says.