Seven fatal drownings in 15 days: "It's one of the worst numbers we've ever had."

BarcelonaSeven people have drowned on Catalan beaches since the summer season began on June 15. That's seven deaths in two weeks, an average of one every two days. "It's not the worst figure in history, but it is one of the worst," Sergio Delgado, deputy director of Civil Protection programs for the Catalan government, told ARA. A year ago, five deaths were recorded in June, and the summer season (which ends on September 15) It ended with 17 fatalities at sea. We are, therefore, above the records of the previous year, and Delgado links this directly to the high temperatures, which cause people to go to the coast more.

"The fact that fatalities increase during episodes of intense heat is a pattern we've seen over the years," he says. The latest victim was last Thursday, when an elderly man drowned in Vilanova i la Geltrú, the third death on a beach in this town since the start of the season. In recent days, Catalonia has reached mid-summer temperatures, but this Monday and Tuesday, the heat wave present is still expected to last into the weekend.

Delgado points out that the most frequent victims when the sea conditions are good tend to be men who are part of a risk group. "It's not usually due to drowning, but rather due to heart disease, and then they can't report it," he explains. In these situations, he recommends bathing "only if we feel well" and doing so "with someone" or with someone watching. "If you don't feel well, don't bathe," he summarizes.

However, when the sea is somewhat rougher, the profile of fatalities changes, typically becoming younger men. This season, six men and one woman have died, and the average age is 54. The oldest was 82, and the youngest was 20. In this regard, Delgado recommends checking the condition of the beaches daily. on the interactive map of Civil Protection. In fact, his main advice is to always go to beaches supervised by a lifeguard, especially if any of the group members are from a high-risk group.

In this sense, Delgado explains that drownings in Catalonia don't usually have a "beach element." That is, there are no geographical areas that tend to be more problematic than others. Simply put, he adds, more drownings occur on beaches where more people go. "They happen all along the coast," he concludes.

Of all the fatal drownings, only one, in the Banys cove in Lloret de Mar, occurred on an unsupervised beach. In two cases—all in Vilanova i la Geltrú—the lifeguard service had ended. In the remaining cases—one in Vilanova, one in Malgrat de Mar, one in Castell-Platja d'Aro, and one in Castelló d'Empúries—the beaches were supervised, and all but one had a green flag.

If you find yourself caught in a rip current, Civil Protection recommends not swimming toward the shore, but instead focusing on trying to escape the current. That is, swim parallel to it until you notice you're no longer inside the whirlpool, and then you can try to head toward the shore.

Active supervision of children

Continuing with prevention, Delgado urges special attention to be paid to minors. They should always be under adult supervision at sea and should not enter the water alone if they don't know how to swim. "Drowning happens in just a few seconds," he explains. But extreme caution must also be exercised in swimming pools, especially those without lifeguards. Here, too, constant supervision is essential.

Since June 15, there have been 10 serious drownings of minors in swimming pools. The first of the season was on June 15, when a six-year-old boy was injured at the municipal swimming pool in Manresa, in Bages. The last was on June 24 at a private pool in Sant Vicenç dels Horts, in Baix Llobregat. A three-year-old girl was transferred to Sant Boi Hospital with a less serious condition. Another drowning incident involving an older child with critical injuries was also reported on June 22 at a private pool in Vidreres, in La Selva. The 52-year-old man was transferred to the Josep Trueta Hospital in Girona. Since the start of the season, the death of a 20-year-old man who drowned while swimming in the Alpicat reservoir in Segrià has also been reported.