The hidden danger behind a swim: 600 drownings in two years. Tips and precautions for safe swimming

The danger lurking behind a dip. Because with the summer season upon us, the issue of water safety comes to the fore once again. Whether it’s the sea, a lake, a river or a swimming pool, it makes no difference. The watchwords are caution and safety. Not least because the news in recent days has reported several incidents that should not be underestimated. From the little girl swept away by the current in a lake, to the 44-year-old man who drowned after taking a dip near Ravenna, not to mention the young girl who drowned in a swimming pool. These are tragic incidents that recur from one area to another, with consistent frequency.

Between 2024 and 2025, the ISS (National Institute of Health) recorded over 600 drowning incidents. These tragedies predominantly affected males and were almost equally divided between the sea – particularly at public beaches – and inland waters. The figure comes from the annual report of the Observatory for the Development of a National Strategy for the Prevention of Drowning and Accidents in Bathing Waters.

“The phenomenon is predominantly male: in cases where gender is specified, males account for the majority, with 482 cases, representing 80.7 per cent,” the observatory points out. Around 30 per cent of drowning incidents involve people aged over 65, around 23 per cent involve children and young people up to the age of 24, whilst in 3 per cent of cases it was not possible to determine the age of the victims. Most drownings occur at sea (281) and in inland waters (277), which together account for 93 per cent of cases. A smaller number (37 drownings) – though significant given that it mainly involves children and adolescents – occurs in swimming pools.”

Overall, the main cause (44.9 per cent) is ‘fainting in the water’, followed by ‘falls into the water’ and ‘adverse weather conditions’ involving rough seas and a return to shore hampered by strong currents. The statistics compiled by the observatory place Lombardy (90 cases; 14.9 per cent), the Veneto Region (73; 12.1 per cent), the Tuscany Region (52; 8.6 per cent), the Lazio Region (51; 8.4 per cent), the regions of Puglia, Sardinia and Sicily (41; 6.8 per cent) and the Emilia-Romagna region (37; 6.1 per cent).

And yet, according to the experts, by following a few simple rules, the number of such tragedies – which have ‘remained broadly stable over the last 20 years’ – could be reduced.