Increase in fatal swimming accidents in France: Urgent need to act on swimming instruction for children

Paris – 28.05.2026: The number of fatal swimming incidents in France has increased significantly in recent years. According to a report by Santé publique France, during the summer of 2025, between June 1 and September 30 a total of 1,418 swimming incidents were recorded, of which 409 people died. This corresponds to an increase of 14 percent in incidents and 16 percent in deaths compared with the previous year.

What is particularly worrying is the number of incidents among children and adolescents. While adults represent 57 percent of the most affected group, children under six account for 27 percent and the 6 to 17 age group represents 16 percent of the cases. Although the number of incidents is higher among children, the mortality rate is considerably higher in adults, at 43 percent, compared with six percent for the youngest.

Lazreg Benelhadj, vice president of the French Swimming Federation, criticizes the current swimming instruction for children. In an interview with Franceinfo, he highlighted the need to fundamentally review teaching methods. In his view, the measures taken so far are not sufficient to address the growing challenges and especially to improve the safety of younger swimmers.

The increase in swimming incidents is also linked to the rise in extreme heat waves during the summer months. Between June 19 and July 8, 2025, 355 incidents were recorded, representing an increase of 135 percent over the previous year. Unusually high temperatures lead many people to frequent natural bodies of water, lakes and rivers more intensely, which increases the risk of water accidents.

In this context, the French ministries of Health and Sport have stepped up their prevention campaigns. The aim is to minimize risks through awareness campaigns and enhanced controls, protecting especially children and adolescents. This includes promoting safe swimming practices and continuous improvement of swimming instruction in schools and clubs.

In addition, experts call for regular evaluation of existing prevention strategies and adaptation to changing climatic conditions. Only a comprehensive review of swimming instruction, combined with effective prevention measures, can contribute in the long term to reducing the number of swimming incidents and deaths.

Overall, there is an urgent need to act that goes far beyond one-off measures. To increase safety in and around the water, swimming instruction, education and rescue services must be more connected and better coordinated. This is especially important for vulnerable groups, such as young children, who due to insufficient swimming skills and increasing exposure to heat face a greater risk.