In total, 302 people died from suffocation in water, marking a notable rise in some areas and a drop in others. The increase in Spanish water-related fatalities during the first eight months of the year represented a higher toll compared with the same period in 2022, while August alone saw 53 deaths, which was ten fewer than in the same month of the previous year. The pattern underscores ongoing concerns about drowning risk as the summer season peaks and outdoor water use expands across regions.
According to the report issued by the Spanish Rescue and First Aid Federation, this year witnessed August as the second strongest month for drownings since 2015. The federation notes that data collection continues, and so far the year shows fewer deaths from drowning than in 2021, when 43 people lost their lives in August alone. This year’s August figures are part of a broader context that reflects fluctuating risk across different months and geographic areas, emphasizing the need for continued vigilance and safer water practices.
Catalonia remains the autonomous community with the highest number of drowning fatalities in August. On August 12, additional deaths were recorded in the Balearic Islands, Andalusia, the Community of Valencia, and the region of Murcia, with four deaths each reported in these areas. The Canary Islands and Galicia recorded four deaths per location, while Castilla-La Mancha reported three, Castilla y León two, and Asturias, Cantabria, Extremadura, the Community of Madrid, and the Basque Country each registered one fatality.
Beaches accounted for the largest share of drowning incidents in August, with 35 occurrences. Of the total 302 deaths during the first eight months of 2023, 168 cases, or 55.62 percent, occurred within that eight-month span. In August, seven people died in rivers, four in swimming pools, and seven in other water areas. Across the first eight months, 41 people died while swimming, 37 in rivers, and 56 in other bodies of water such as ponds or lakes.
In August, 53 drownings were recorded, and surveillance was absent in 18 cases. Lifeguard presence was active in 18 incidents and not implemented in 17. These surveillance gaps highlight the ongoing importance of lifeguard coverage and active supervision in preventing drownings during peak seasons.
Data show that 32 percent of fatal drownings among minors through 2023 occurred in August. Among the 25 drownings accumulated through August, three involved children up to three years old, one involved a child aged four to six, and four involved youths aged seven to seventeen. The age distribution also revealed a shift compared with the previous August, with the 55 and older group historically showing higher fatalities; in August, 19 deaths (35.85 percent of the 53 recorded for the month) fell into that older category, while 20 deaths occurred among those aged 18 to 54 (37.74 percent).
A total of 43 deaths occurred in August, with 81.13 percent taking place between eight in the morning and eight in the evening. Seventeen of these fatalities happened between ten in the morning and two in the afternoon, while five occurred between eight in the evening and two in the morning. The daily distribution underscores the critical importance of supervision and safety measures during daylight hours when water activities are most common.
From January through August, of the 302 total drownings, 244 victims were male, 58 were female, and 38 were men reported separately in August; 15 women died in August as well. These gender distributions reflect patterns observed across water-related incidents and point to the need for continued safety education and risk awareness across all age groups and genders.