In 2024, DLRG experienced a slightly lower mortality rate compared to the previous year.
In the first seven months of 2025, fewer people died in bathing accidents in Germany compared to the same period in the previous year. This decline is likely due to improved public safety and awareness measures, enhanced swimming education, active lifeguard services, and the use of protective equipment.
According to Eurostat, there has been a 3.9% drop in drowning deaths across the EU in recent years, with the lowest proportion of drowning deaths since records began in 2011.
Ute Vogt, the president of the German Life-Saving Association, made the statement in the Lübeck seaside resort of Travemünde. Vogt highlighted that bathing and swimming are particularly safe where there is supervision by lifeguards.
In Germany, at least 236 people died in bathing accidents from January to July 2025. Most of these deaths occurred in lakes, with 87 people reported, and rivers, which accounted for 85 deaths.
Interestingly, the number of bathing deaths in lakes in 2025 is higher than the number of people who died in rivers in the same year. However, it's important to note that the number of bathing deaths in Bavaria in 2025 is higher than in any other German state.
There was an increase in bathing deaths in Hesse (+4) and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (+3) compared to the same period in 2024. On the other hand, the number of bathing deaths in Germany as a whole is 16 fewer than in the same period in 2024.
One reason for the decrease in bathing accident deaths in Germany in 2025 could be the rainy July weather. However, specific incidents such as recent tragic accidents in Lower Franconia involving a dredger lake indicate localized risks remain despite the general improvement.
It's worth noting that all deaths in the sea in 2025 occurred in the Baltic Sea, with no reported deaths in the North Sea. Around 5,500 volunteers from the DLRG are on duty at approximately 100 supervised bathing spots on the North and Baltic Seas during the summer season.
Nine people died in swimming pools in 2025, but no new information about the total number of bathing deaths in 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 was provided in this paragraph.
Despite the general improvement, it's crucial to continue emphasizing swimming education and water safety awareness campaigns, promoting the use of protective equipment, and ensuring better emergency response and rescue operations to further reduce the number of bathing accident deaths in Germany.
Science plays a significant role in the recent decline of bathing accidents, as advancements in health-and-wellness, including fitness-and-exercise, contribute to individuals' ability to stay safe in water. Additionally, the increased use of protective equipment, facilitated by ongoing research and development, could potentially save more lives in the future.
