SLSGB have recently supported the National Water Safety Forum with their recent report on drowning related incidents in 2023. All data our clubs provide from Patrols is crucial in raising awareness of this type of disaster. The report states:
‘As summer weather arrives across the UK, more people will be spending time enjoying the water, and although air temperatures are rising, water temperatures remain dangerously cold, with many people unaware of associated risks like Cold Water Shock.’
‘Sadly 236 people accidentally died in water related fatalities in 2023, in line with the five-year average of 243, but ten more than 2022. The are also 211 further cases where the cause is still unknown, so the number of accidental fatalities is likely to increase as additional information becomes available from coroners.’
‘The 2023 Water Incident Database (WAID), which is maintained by the NWSF, show us that:
- Inland waterways, continue to be the leading locations for accidental drowning, accounting for 63% of deaths in locations including rivers, canals, lakes, reservoirs, and quarries.
- Males continue to over represent with 83% of accidental fatalities.
- Of the 236 accidental fatalities in the UK in 2023; 28 occurred in June, with 20 in July and 21 in August
- Everyday activities like walking and running accounted for 48% of accidental fatalities.
- Many of those who lost their lives were not intending to enter the water, 88 of the fatalities (37%) were walking or running before the accident.
- Of those 236, 157 were in England; 47 in Scotland; 28 in Wales; 4 in Northern Ireland’
To download the WAID 2023 report, visit here
| UK water-related fatalities | 2023 |
| Accidental | 236 |
| Crime suspected | 4 |
| Not recorded | 211 |
| Suicide suspected | 208* |
| Total | 659 |
‘*In accordance with Samaritans’ Media Guidelines for Reporting Suicide we do not highlight data concerning these kinds of incidents, nor do we identify or comment on specific locations or suicide methods.’
