Already 18 People Drowned in Austria This Year

Most drowning deaths in Austria this year occurred while swimming. Two fatalities happened in diving accidents, and one each in a stand-up paddleboard and a kayak accident.

Drowning second most common cause of death in child accidents

By July 20th of the previous year, at least 22 people had drowned nationwide in Austria according to KFV, with a total of 39 for the year, including three children up to 14 years old. Drowning is the second most common cause of death in fatal child accidents. The annual average of drowning cases in Austria from 2014 to 2023 was 33 people. In all regions of the world, drowning is one of the ten most common causes of death for people up to 24 years old. According to WHO estimates, a total of 236,000 people drown worldwide each year. In the past ten years, there have been over 2.5 million drowning cases worldwide, as stated in a release by the Austrian Water Rescue.

Number of non-swimmers in Austria high

Around seven percent of the Austrian population aged five and older cannot swim - approximately 630,000 people. Of these, around 137,000 are children and adolescents aged five to 19 years. This was revealed by a representative swimming competence study by KFV from 2025. A total of 2,000 people aged 15 and older were surveyed, and information about 883 children and adolescents (under 20 years, note) was also obtained through proxy interviews with parents.

About 23 percent of Austrians rate their swimming skills as (very) insecure to mediocre. In the age group over 50, 26 percent also assess their skills in this way. Among the five to 19-year-olds, the number of (very) insecure swimmers is 76,000. According to KFV, it is critical when parents do not correctly assess their children's swimming skills. This can have serious consequences if children are overestimated or if they overestimate themselves in dangerous situations due to parental influence.

School Swimming Important Measure

Children acquire swimming skills not only through parental encouragement (64 percent) but also through professional swimming courses (38 percent). Children can learn to swim from the age of three, with an early start being recommended. School is an important place for children and teenagers to learn to swim. About six percent of all girls and boys have learned to swim exclusively in the school context. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, children aged ten to fourteen often did not have the opportunity to do so. The KFV study shows that children in this age group this year clearly have poorer swimming skills than in previous years.

The survey also revealed inadequate infrastructure as a cause of children's lack of swimming skills. About ten percent of survey participants stated that there were no swimming pools or lakes near them, and therefore they had no opportunities to swim regularly. Other reasons for the lack of skills are family-related, including low income and lack of swimming pool visits where learned skills could be practiced. According to KFV, about 13 percent of all families are "swim-free."

How to Protect Children from Drowning

Since children drown quietly, it is particularly important that a supervisor is present at all times to keep an eye on them. Toddlers must always be kept within arm's reach near bodies of water, and older children must always be kept within sight. If several adults are present, the KFV advises consciously appointing a supervisor, as otherwise, it can easily happen that no one feels responsible. For pools, biotopes, or ponds, it is recommended to protect the respective body of water with a fence to prevent direct access to the water. Especially with private pools, it quickly happens that no supervisor is present.

The right swimming equipment is also important. In addition to wings or rings as swimming aids for beginners, swimming buoys are suitable for experienced swimmers for support. In a statement at the beginning of July, the Samaritan Association emphasized that swimming aids can in no way replace a supervisor. In addition to swimming aids or support, bright swimwear also helps save lives. It can increase visibility in murky waters and help with location in emergencies.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.