Nearly 200 people have died in France since June, the authorities are calling for respecting swimming prohibitions

Health authorities call for respecting swimming prohibitions, signaling the risks linked to not monitored sites on Friday 1^is August, while about 200 people, including 27 children and adolescents, lost their lives by drowning in less than two months, in France

Between 1^is June and July 23, 193 deaths by drowning were identified in France and overseas, announced Public Health France, noting that high temperatures have “Broken a influx of the populations to the swimming sites to cool off”.

This represents a leap of 45 % compared to the same period in 2024, when 133 dead had been recorded, details the health agency.

Danger in the neither arranged nor monitored sites

If this increase in deadly drownings concerned all age groups, adolescents are strongly affected: 27 children and adolescents lost their lives in 2025 against 1524, and 30 % of young people drowned (13 to 17 years) died, against 13 % over the same period a year earlier.

In addition, 1^is June to July 23, observes the health agency, the number of drowns of minors followed in rivers has multiplied by almost four: there are 15 against four in 2024. Overall, the drowning died was first recorded at sea (79), in front of the rivers (58), water bodies (30) and private pools (24).

Thus, the risk of drowning during swimming in a natural environment, watercourse, body or sea, when the sites are neither arranged nor monitored, “Is real and increased in the event of alcohol consumption”recalls Public Health France. “Regulations, in particular swimming prohibitions, must be respected regardless of age”insists the health agency.

Almost half (47 %) of the fatal drownings that occurred since 1^is June took place in four regions: Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Occitanie, Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.

These figures confirm the disturbing increase in drownings while the number of drowned people had already jumped during the heat wave only, as declared on July 11 by the health agency. From June 19 to July 6, 86 dead by drowning were recorded against 36 on the same days of 2024, much more than double. During this early and long heat wave, maximum temperatures exceeded 35 ° C on a large part of the territory, while during the rest of July, high temperatures and rainy passages alternated.