Key Points

• Between May 1 and August 31, 2026, there were 1,511 drowning incidents in France, 441 of which resulted in death (a moderate increase compared to 2025, when there were 1,445 drowning incidents, 416 of which were fatal), which is not statistically significant¹; slightly fewer than one in three drowning incidents is fatal.
• Drowning incidents primarily involve adults (58%) and children aged 0–5 (27%). Drowning is most severe among adults, with nearly one in two incidents resulting in death. Although drownings are relatively rare among adolescents (ages 13–17), about one in four is fatal, possibly due to greater risk-taking at this age, particularly among boys.
• Fatal drownings occur primarily in swimming pools and other artificial swimming areas among children aged 0–5 and in rivers and other bodies of water among adolescents aged 13–17. A peak in drowning incidents resulting in death in swimming pools and other developed artificial swimming areas was observed among minors between July 15 and August 31.
• The majority of these drownings, whether or not they resulted in death, occurred on heat wave alerts (>80%), particularly during the early heat wave in May.
• Compared to 2025, there were more drownings resulting in death in swimming pools and other developed artificial swimming areas (+64%), and in inland regions of mainland France without a coastline (+26% for drownings and +30% for those resulting in death), particularly in Île-de-France.
• As in previous years, the number of drownings and deaths remains high in the summer. Drownings affect people of all ages and occur in all types of locations. The wide range of drowning profiles (age, locations, regions, times of year, activities) illustrates the great diversity of water-related activities, which requires prevention strategies tailored to the variety of these situations.