Campaigners have warned people to take care if they cool off from soaring temperatures in open water - as figures show almost 300 people have drowned in the last five years. Last week’s record-breaking heatwave - with temperatures hitting 40C in England for the first time in history - saw many people visiting coastal areas, lakes, and rivers seeking solace from the sun.
But that led to a spate of tragedies around the country - and on Tuesday of last week, it was announced that 13 people had died in open water since the start of the heatwave. Figures from the Office of National Statistics show 277 people lost their lives in accidents in the water in the UK in 2021, up from 254 the previous year and 233 in 2019.
A team of international scientists has now found that the heat wave was made stronger and more likely by the buildup of heat-trapping gases from the burning of coal, oil, and natural gas. Similar heatwaves are now far more likely in the future, they believe.
Separate fire service figures show firefighters in England were called out on 886 occasions last year to assist people who had got into trouble in the waterways, including 574 calls that involved a rescue. It comes as a national campaign is launched called “Respect the Water”, which aims to halve the annual number of UK deaths from drowning by 2026.
The campaign, organised by the National Water Safety Forum - which brings together 50 groups including the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, HM Coastguard, and the National Fire Chiefs Council - was launched on World Drowning Prevention Day (July 25). It warns people to resist the urge to jump into the water to save someone they think is drowning, and instead call 999.
Anyone who does find themselves in difficulty in the water is advised to fight their instinct to thrash around, and instead lean back, extend their arms and legs and float until they can be rescued.
A spokesperson for the National Fire Chiefs Council said: “When someone’s struggling in the water, the instinct to jump in and help can be overwhelming, but it can quickly lead to tragedy without the right training or equipment. The water is unpredictable and a rescue for one can very quickly become a search for two. Stay on land and make the right call, call 999.”
