A recent report by the Safe Water Sports organization has unveiled a troubling statistic: over 400 individuals tragically lost their lives in 2023 while engaging in recreational water-based activities. This figure marks a 4% increase from the previous year, where 379 fatalities were reported.
The majority of these deaths occurred at sea, claiming the lives of 400 individuals, with the remainder occurring in internal water bodies such as lakes, rivers, and pools.
Among the reported fatalities, drowning accounted for 260 deaths, while 25 were attributed to pathological causes, and one resulted from a fatal accident. The causes behind 114 deaths remain unidentified.
Age demographics reveal that 331 of the victims were aged over 60, 59 were between 18 and 59, and five were underage. The age of five victims remains unspecified.
The data also highlights the nationalities of those affected, with 68% (272 individuals) of the sea-related fatalities being Greek, and 124 being foreigners. The nationality of four individuals remains unknown.
Key insights from the report shed light on the circumstances of these tragedies. A significant portion of fatal accidents occurred during beach visits between noon and 1 p.m. (14% of deaths), and more than half (56%) of these incidents took place at beaches lacking lifeguard coverage.
Analyzing regional statistics, the municipality of Thermaikos, located south of Thessaloniki, recorded the highest number of fatal accidents with 15 deaths. This was followed by Thassos with 14 deaths, Varis-Voulas-Vouliagmenis (near Athens) with 13 deaths, and both Rhodes and Kos with 12 deaths each. Halkida reported 11 fatalities during the same period.
These findings underscore the critical importance of water safety measures and the need for enhanced vigilance and lifeguard presence, particularly in areas identified with higher incident rates.