Safe bathing

Drownings in the sea can be caused by several factors that can be prevented by improving the safety while bathing. The majority of drowning victims across the world are children and elderly people. Unfortunately this phenomenon is recurrent over the years, but it can be reduced by avoiding inappropriate behaviour or environmental conditions that may increase the chances of drowning.

Behavioural factors that increase the risk of drowning

• Swimming after heavy meals and high intake of alcohol;
• Lack of children supervision. In many cases even few seconds of distraction and few inches of water may be fatal;
• Lack of swimming skills;
• Disregarding a swimming ban;
• Not using life jackets during recreational activities in the water;
• Alteration of consciousness due to: stroke; TIA, epilepsy; dysfunctions of the cardiovascular system such as arrhythmias and alterations of the blood pressure, depression, dementia, dizziness and mobility impairments.

Environmental factors that increase the risk of drowning

• Adverse sea conditions;
• Failure to signal and delimit sea areas where bathing is prohibited;
• Lack of emergency facilities near the coasts and close to bathing areas;
• Delays in rescue operations.