Over 600 drownings in Italy in two years: here are the victims, risky locations, and rules for safe swimming.

In Italy, there were over 600 drowning cases in the two-year period 2024-2025, predominantly males, and almost equally divided between the sea, especially on public beaches, and inland waters. This snapshot was taken from the annual report of the Observatory for the Development of a National Strategy for the Prevention of Drowning and Bathing Accidents, established by the Ministry of Health in October 2019. The report was drafted by the Ministry, the Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), the Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), the Italian Port Authority, the National Group for Research on the Coastal Environment (GNRAC), the National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI), the National Lifeguard Society, and the Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital in Rome. The report was presented today in Rome during a conference at the ISS headquarters. 

In the two years considered, the institute reports, 604 fatal drownings were recorded in a systematic collection of news stories conducted using web scraping techniques by the ISS. The phenomenon is clearly male: in cases where gender is specified, males account for the majority, with 482 cases, or 80,7%. Approximately 30% of drownings involved people over 65, approximately 23% children and young people up to 24 years old, while in 3% of cases, the age of the drowned subjects could not be determined. 

The causes and places of drowning. Overall, “being ill in the water” is the main cause (44,9%), followed by “falling into the water”, “adverse weather conditions/rough sea” and “returning to shore prevented by an obstacle/rip currents”. In approximately 6% of cases, it was possible to detect that, despite the presence of the red flag warning, this indication had been ignored. The majority of drownings occur at sea (281) and in inland waters (277), which together represent 93% of cases. A smaller number (37 drownings), but significant if we consider that they mainly involve children and adolescents, occur in swimming pools. In absolute terms, the data indicate that, in the two-year period 2024-2025, the regions with the highest number of drownings are Lombardy (90 cases, 14,9%); Veneto (73, 12,1%); Tuscany (52, 8,6%); Lazio (51, 8,4%); Puglia, Sardinia and Sicily (41, 6,8%) and Emilia Romagna (37, 6,1%). 

Accidents can be prevented by following a few simple rules, explains the ISS, which lists 13 rules for everyone or tailored to parents, young people, and the elderly. A guide for peaceful holidays and safe swimming. 

Recommendations for parents/guardians: 1) At the beach or near any body of water, never leave children unattended, not even for a phone call, a coffee, or a quick chat. Did you know that in Italy, an average of 16 children (0-14 years old) die each year due to these distractions? Appoint a water supervisor, someone whose sole responsibility is to supervise those in the water without distractions; 2) If you have a home or shared pool, have it fenced so that children cannot access it unaccompanied (in countries where this is done, child mortality has been virtually eliminated); 3) Ensure that children learn to swim and develop aquatic skills early, including staying afloat, breathing, orienting themselves, and managing fatigue. 

Advice for children/adults: 4) Don't swim when the red flag is flying, or even if the sea is rough (public beaches almost never have a system for reporting dangerous conditions). Swimming in rough seas puts your life and that of any rescuers at risk. Did you know that 80% of drownings involve men? On average, 106 men and 17 women between the ages of 15 and 60 die each year. These drownings are often associated with reckless behavior and underestimation of the danger. There are healthier ways to demonstrate skill and courage. 5) Avoid alcohol and drugs because they impair balance, reflexes, and judgment, greatly increasing the risk. 6) If you find yourself in trouble at sea because you're being pushed offshore by a rip current (this can happen in rough seas on a natural beach, but also near man-made structures like piers and breakwaters), swim sideways to escape, never against it, and signal your presence. 7) Never dive without first knowing the water's bottom (depth or presence of ledges). In any case, dive feet first, never head first (many serious accidents involving diving have resulted in fatalities and irreparable spinal injuries). 

A special warning to the elderly: 8) Unfortunately, age does matter. It's necessary to limit strenuous activities, avoid diving in adverse sea conditions, and always consult your doctor for advice on how to behave in case of medical conditions (the number of accidents due to illness among people over 60 is high, approximately 120 people per year). 

Finally, the commandments everyone should follow: 9) Never swim alone; having someone nearby means you can receive immediate help or be seen in case of difficulty; 10) If you frequent rivers, be careful of low water temperatures (which can cause thermal shock), particularly strong currents, debris, and steep and unstable banks (about 70 people drown in rivers each year); 11) Always carefully read the information on signs regarding potential hazards, the organization and hours of lifeguards, and emergency telephone numbers. If no signs are present, inform yourself about the potential hazards in the body of water you frequent; 12) Bathing near lifeguards significantly reduces the risk of drowning. Lifeguards recognize dangers and intervene quickly; 13) If you frequent public beaches, choose places where the managing bodies (municipalities, port authorities, or regions) take care of their safety. On concession beaches, pay attention to the quality of safety management. 

(Adnkronos)