Increase in Fatal Drownings in France: Urgent Need to Reform Children's Swimming Education

Paris – May 28, 2026: In recent years, the number of fatal drownings in France has significantly increased. According to a report by the French Public Health Agency (Santé publique France), a total of 1418 drowning incidents were recorded during the summer of 2025 (June 1 to September 30), with 409 deaths. Compared to the previous year, the number of incidents increased by 14%, and the death toll rose by 16%.

Particularly concerning is the number of accidents involving children and adolescents. Although adults make up the largest proportion of those injured, at 57%, children under 6 years old account for 27%, and the 6 to 17 age group accounts for 16%. Despite the high number of incidents involving children, the fatality rate among adults is 43%, significantly higher than the 6% among children.

Lazreg Benelhadj, Vice President of the French Swimming Federation, criticized the current swimming education aimed at children. In an interview with Franceinfo, he emphasized the need to fundamentally reform teaching methods. He believes that the existing measures are insufficient to address the increasingly severe challenges, especially to improve the safety of the youngest swimmers.

The increase in drowning incidents is also linked to the rise in extreme summer heat. Between June 19 and July 8, 2025, 355 incidents occurred, an increase of 135% compared to the same period last year. The unusually high temperatures led many people to prefer swimming in natural waters, lakes, and rivers, raising the risk of drowning.

Based on this, the French Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Sports have stepped up prevention campaigns. Through awareness-raising and enhanced supervision, the goal is to reduce risks, especially protecting children and adolescents. This includes promoting safe swimming practices as well as continuously improving swimming education in schools and clubs.

Experts also call for the regular evaluation of existing prevention strategies and adjustment of measures according to climate change. Only a thorough reform of swimming education combined with effective prevention measures can reduce drowning incidents and fatalities in the long term.

Overall, there is an urgent need for action, far beyond sporadic measures. To improve water safety, it is necessary to strengthen the coordination and integration of swimming instruction, awareness campaigns, and rescue systems. This is especially important for vulnerable groups such as young children, who face a higher risk due to insufficient swimming skills and the increasing burden of heat.