Key Points

Period from May 1, 2026, to July 15, 2026

• In 2026, the monitoring period was extended from May 1 to September 30, instead of June 1 to September 30 as it was from 2023 to 2025.
• Between May 1 and July 15, 2026, there were 925 drowning incidents in France, 274 of which resulted in death at the scene of the drowning (representing a 30% fatality rate). In 2026, the total number of drownings increased by 14% compared to 2025 for the same period.¹ The number of drownings resulting in death between 2025 and 2026 during this same period showed a moderate increase (274 vs. 241), which was not statistically significant.
• Overall, 73% of all drownings (675) and 79% of fatal drownings (216) occurred during one of the three heat wave alerts that occurred during the monitoring period, while the total number of heat wave alert days accounted for 50% of the total number of days in that period. From May 24 to 31, 2026 (the first heat wave alert period), 134 drowning incidents were recorded, 48 of which resulted in death, compared with 67 and 18, respectively, during the same period (without a heat wave alert) in 2025, representing increases of 100% and 167%, respectively, between 2026 and 2025. During the other two heatwave alert periods—from June 16 to July 3 and then from July 4 to 15, 2026—307 and 234 drowning incidents were recorded, respectively, of which 103 and 65 resulted in death.
• During the period under review, drownings resulting in death involved 37 children and adolescents (the same number as in 2025 during the same period), and one in three drownings among 13- to 17-year-olds resulted in death. Compared to 2025, the increase in the total number of drownings observed in 2026 primarily involved adults.
• At the regional level, compared to 2025, the total number of drownings increased in inland regions without a coastline, rising from 180 to 267 (+48%). The increase was particularly pronounced in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, and Île-de-France. Meanwhile, the number of drownings resulting in death at the scene of the drowning rose from 70 to 102 (+46%). In these regions, swimming in natural settings at undeveloped sites where swimming is prohibited—particularly during heat wave alerts—may largely account for these increases. Of particular note is the situation in Île-de-France, where the number of drownings resulting in death rose from 14 in 2025 to 35 in 2026, and from 5 to 15 in the department of Seine-et-Marne alone.
• Nationally, compared to 2025, the number of fatal drownings in swimming pools and other developed artificial swimming areas doubled, rising from 31 to 60. The vast majority of these incidents involved adults (48 out of 60 drownings) and occurred in nearly all regions of mainland France (12 out of 13 regions). It should be noted that 45% of drowning deaths in swimming pools and other developed artificial swimming areas occurred in inland regions (27 out of 60 drownings). The desire to cool off in swimming pools and other developed artificial swimming areas during heat wave alerts—particularly by people who overestimated their abilities and/or suffered from chronic conditions that could lead to fainting spells—may help explain this increase.
• In 2026, the number of drownings resulting in death in rivers and bodies of water was particularly high among minors (23 out of 37 drownings), accounting for 62% of drownings resulting in death in this age group.
• As in previous years, the number of drownings and deaths remains high in the summer. Drownings occur across all age groups and in all locations. These findings underscore the need to continue efforts to prevent drowning risks at all ages, particularly during periods of extreme heat and as long as conditions are favorable for swimming.