It's been a black summer for drowning deaths in Andalucía with 63 so far this year
Bathing in the sea is the most dangerous place and where most accidents in the region happen, followed by rivers and swimming pools
Deaths by drowning are becoming a common tragedy every summer and the number of deaths is on the rise in the Andalucía region of southern Spain. The 63 deaths this summer have triggered concern among regional emergency officials. Any area of water can be the scene of a tragedy - from beaches and swimming pools to rivers and inland bathing sports.
Just in August, 11 people died from drowning, some of them in swimming pools, such as a three-year-old girl in Alhaurín de la Torre and a boy in Encinas Reales (Cordoba). The other deaths occurred in the sea and in inland waters. The last incident happened on Tuesday, 26 August, on the Cadiz beach of La Fontanilla, in Conil de la Frontera.
In addition, the latest report of the regional ministry of the presidency, interior, social dialogue and administrative simplification on accidents and drownings in Andalucía highlights the increase in rescues, with 67% more this year.
The beach is the place where the highest number of deaths is recorded, followed by rivers and swimming pools. Most of these deaths occur in places where there are no rescue services.
According to the emergency services of Andalucía, there were a total of 402 rescues in 2024 - some 3% more than in 2023.
Notable increase
So far this year, there has been a notable increase, with 169 rescues up to 1 July, more than double the number recorded in the same period in 2024. These figures make the prevention of accidents and drowning a challenge and a necessity that requires different lines of action.
These include emergency planning, as well as training and information campaigns for the public, as established by current legislation, which requires all coastal municipalities in Andalucía to have beach safety and rescue plans approved by their respective management boards.
As for the actions carried out in 2025, the Junta de Andalucía regional government has updated the didactic guide on safety on beaches and in swimming pools. Other types of guides have also been produced, such as those on prevention in the event of tsunamis, forest and urban fires and earthquakes.
Bathing in the sea is the most dangerous place and where most drownings occur, followed by rivers and swimming pools
On the other hand, this summer has seen the launch of a virtual assistant that allows the user to consult in real time the state of beaches and their flags. The tool also provides data on effective intervention and coordination in the event of ordinary emergencies and civil protection. Included are also the locations of lifeguard posts and watchtowers. This catalogue of beaches can be consulted free of charge on the web and on mobile phones via the Junta's beach application (Apple App store / Google Play).
With all these resources, the Andalusian government advocates planning and prevention as the best tool to save lives and minimise accidents. The region has a coastline of almost 1,000 kilometres of coastline and nearly 500 beaches, in addition to the numerous rivers and reservoirs in the interior of the region.
Sanz advocates prevention and awareness raising
The Junta's regional minister of the presidency Antonio Sanz advocates promoting prevention and raising public awareness to avoid tragic drownings in Andalucía's bodies of water, especially during the summer season. He highlighted the campaign promoted by his department under the title 'Watch out for the water', appealing to the responsibility of bathers and companions. The regional minister stated that "it is not only a wake-up call, but a tool to raise awareness, to inform and, above all, to save lives; it is focused on the person swimming and watching". "We need to see what our children are doing in the water at all times, we need to see the dangers of a hostile environment such as a river or a cliff, we need to be alert because in the blink of an eye, we can lose a child or an accident with fatal consequences might happen, hence the message to watch out for the water," Sanz said. The regional minister stated that "nobody should be overconfident because sometimes it can be a current of water, a dive, tiredness or a moment looking at a mobile phone, while the little ones are bathing, that can turn the day into a tragedy". Sanz believes that the cooperation of the public is key, which is why the Junta should invest in safety, information and self-protection. "It is important to enjoy bathing safely and choose supervised areas, respecting the colour of the flags and bathing in company," Sanz said.
