The overwhelming majority (80 percent on average annually) of drowning victims in Greece were elderly people aged 60 and over, Greece’s National Public Health Organization (EODY) said on Tuesday on the occasion of World Drowning Prevention Day.

In 2022, 62 percent of the fatalities at sea were reported at beaches with no lifeguards, the EODY said in an e-mailed press release.

A lifeguard observes swimmers at Alimos beach in suburban Athens, Greece, July 25, 2023.(Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

On average, 350 people per year lose their lives in water-related incidents across the country, and in many cases these deaths could be prevented, Greek authorities said.

The EODY, in cooperation with local non-governmental organization (NGO) Safe Water Sports, is running a public awareness campaign to educate swimmers, focusing on the elderly, on how to enjoy the sea safely.

Globally, approximately 236,000 people lose their lives in drowning accidents each year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). 

Source: English News

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