More than 350 people lost their lives to drowning in Greece in 2023, according to data released this week by the National Public Health Organization (EODY), marking one of the highest drowning tolls in Europe. A staggering 80% of these incidents occurred on beaches or in pools without a lifeguard present.
The majority (98%) of deaths occurred at sea. The news follows the recent drowning of a three-year-old girl at a children’s party in a hotel pool on the island of Rhodes.
“People are losing their lives on organized beaches where lifeguards should be present. Most of them could have been saved,” said Marios Mironakis, President of the Association of Lifeguard Schools of Greece, in an interview with TO BHMA.
Mironakis noted that up to 80% of Greece’s organized beaches currently operate without lifeguard coverage, largely due to delays in municipal recruitment. Despite state subsidies covering 50% of lifeguard costs, local authorities say this is insufficient, as the total expense far exceeds the funding.
According to EODY data, the most vulnerable groups are elderly swimmers over the age of 65 and unsupervised children. Contributing factors include alcohol consumption (accounting for one in three cases), overestimation of swimming ability, unawareness of ocean currents, underlying health conditions or medication side effects, and lack of public education on how to respond in an emergency.
Greece consistently ranks among the top EU countries for drowning deaths.
The Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE) has repeatedly urged the government to fully subsidize lifeguard staffing on beaches, citing the life-saving importance of their presence, particularly in a country with thousands of kilometers of coastline and millions of annual visitors.
Experts say drownings are preventable and emphasize the need for a national strategy to raise public awareness, provide training, and reverse this tragic statistic.
