Why are so many more sea swimmers getting into trouble in France?

The number of people drowning – or almost drowning – in France has jumped massively this year with the number of cases in July double those of July 2023. 

There were 40 cases of drowning / near drowning incidents (noyade) in coastal areas of the Var alone in July, with at least two of these resulting in deaths, including of a man in his 80s near Toulon. 

In the nearby Alpes-Maritimes department, 40 drowning / near drowning cases were also recorded in July, with 10 of these resulting in death.

In comparison, just over 1,000 cases were recorded across all of France in the entirety of 2023.

Read more: Three drown off the coast of Nice in separate incidents

Note that in France, noyade does not necessarily mean that a person died in the water, but that they faced difficulties and needed rescuing of some kind. In France people can survive ‘drownings’.

What is causing the increase? 

Emergency services largely point to one factor as the cause – the warmer weather that hit the south of France during July and the heatwave conditions. 

In fact, in June 2024 drownings were down 29% compared to the year before, with this attributed largely due to the lack of warm weather during the month, compared to in 2023.

People over the age of 70 are most at risk, said Fabrice Gentili, a fireman / pompier in the Alpes-Maritimes.

Many people, particularly locals, will avoid beaches at peak hours, and opt to swim early in the day or late at night. 

Beaches are not usually supervised during these hours, however, meaning if a swimmer gets into trouble nobody may be around to help. 

These swimmers also opt to go to quieter areas that are not patrolled by lifeguards if they wish to swim during the day. 

“In four of the five cases of fatal drowning in the last week, the victims were found in unsupervised areas,” said Mr Gentili to FranceBleu.

Heatwave conditions also cause our bodies to tire more quickly, meaning we cannot swim for the length or duration we usually can. 

"This heatwave means that, even if people protect themselves… when they go in the water, the difference can lead to very rapid vasoconstriction of the blood vessels, which increases the heart rate,” Mr Gentili added.

“This can make you faint, and if you are alone in the sea, it can be fatal,” he added. 

Read more: Heightened heatwave warning issued in south of France

What should I do to reduce the risk? 

Mr Gentili recommends that over-70s who want to swim should buy and wear an open water swimming buoy that can help them float if they get tired, until they regain the energy to swim back to shore. 

Everyone, regardless of age, should stick to swimming in supervised areas, and follow the flag system used by lifeguards to indicate how safe the waters are to swim in. 

You should avoid swimming if you have drunk alcohol, just eaten, or feel dehydrated, as this will increase the risk of you struggling in the water. 

Even if not swimming, and merely relaxing in the sea, you need to be aware of your surroundings. 

When floating on an inflatable device for example, you should make sure you stay close to the shore – onshore wind can quickly push people out into the ocean, and then it can be difficult to make it back safely.

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