Dusseldorf.
Last year, 56 people drowned in swimming accidents in NRW. NRW is thus in second place after Bavaria in a comparison of the federal states.
- According to the DLRG, the number of bathing deaths in North Rhine-Westphalia more than doubled in 2022.
- In a country comparison, NRW is in second place behind Bavaria.
- 41 men and 13 women died, in two cases the gender remained unknown.
The number of swimmers got into North Rhine-Westphalia more than doubled in the past year. In 2022, 56 people drowned after 24 in the previous year, as the German Life Saving Society (DLRG) announced on Thursday. This puts NRW in second place after Bavaria (69) in a comparison of the federal states.
According to the DLRG, 41 men and 13 women had accidents in NRW last year, and in two cases the gender remained unknown. In 2021, significantly more men than women drowned. The majority of those who died last year drowned in rivers (23) and lakes (18). Most deaths occurred in the months from June to August (28).
DLRG: At least 355 people drowned nationwide last year
At least 355 people drowned nationwide last year. That was 56 more than in 2021. According to DLRG President Ute Vogt, this is the first increase in fatal swimming accidents in four years. “During the long, warm summer without any significant corona-related restrictions, people went swimming again in mostly unguarded lakes and rivers,” she explained.
The DLRG President is looking forward to the coming summer with concern: According to a recently published Forsa study, the number of primary school children who cannot swim has doubled since 2017. “Just as boys and girls learn to read, write and do arithmetic, they also need to learn to swim,” she said. It is important that every child can swim safely by the end of primary school. (dpa)
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