Forty-nine people drowned in mainland Portugal in the first four months of the year, the highest number since 2017, according to data from the Drowning Observatory report of the Portuguese Federation of Lifeguards (FEPONS).
In a statement released this Friday, FEPONS states that Drownings in Portugal are breaking recordshaving registered until April 30, 49 deathswhich correspond to the highest value since 2017 compared to the same period last year.
Last year there was 43 deaths due to drowning and in 2022 there were 38.
The fact that April was the worst month, according to the observatory’s records, of all the months since January 2017, contributes to this year’s result.
Last month there was 26 drowning deaths recordedwhile in April 2023 16 died and in the same month of 2022 there were 14 deaths.
Regarding the first quarter of the year, the FEPONS highlights that 60.9% of drownings occurred in the morningThe majority were recorded in the sea (21), followed by rivers (16), wells (six), irrigation ditches, dams, lakes and ditches.
According to the report for these three months of the year, more than half of the people who died from drowning were men (69.5%) and they had enteredand 70 and 74 years old (21.7%).
TO Most cases occurred during leisure sea bathing.paragliding activities, due to people and vehicles falling into the water, and of unknown causes.
The Federation also highlights that 100% of the drownings occurred in places without supervision and without the presence of witnesses.
Regarding geographical distribution, 21.7% of the cases occurred in the Porto district13% in Coimbra and Lisbon, 8.7% in Aveiro, Setúbal, Viana do Castelo and Madeira, 4.3% in Azores, Braga, Leiria and Santarém.
TO FEPONS also indicates that 47.8% of deathsIn these three months, it occurred in January, with 26.1% of cases occurring on Saturday.
The federation highlights that these results highlight the urgency of significant political changes in this area.
It maintains that assistance to bathers should be provided throughout the year, in all seasons and with different levels of alert as necessary, with local authorities assuming exclusive responsibility for assistance to bathers, through lifeguard associations.
Also ask the installation of equipment that improves surveillancethe assistance and protection of lifeguards, such as watchtowers, 4×4 motorcycles, maritime rescue motorcycles, among others.
oh increase water safety in Portuguese schoolsincluding educational and practical programs on water safety, incentives for seasonal lifeguards, the creation of a special career in the public service for lifeguards and compliance with the Public Use Swimming Pools Legislation are other necessary measures highlighted by FEPONS.
The Drowning Observatory is a system created by the Portuguese Federation of Lifeguards, to count drowning deaths in Portugal.
Registration is done through links to newspaper clippings or images thereof, which must be sent by anyone to the email [email protected] or published on the observatory’s Facebook page facebook.com/observatoriodoafogamento.
TO This year’s swimming season began on the May 1 holiday. in the municipality of Cascais and in some places in Madeira.
The bathing season of each year is defined in an ordinance published in the Diário da República, which identifies the bathing waters and the respective season, considering until its publication that at the national level the bathing season extends between May 1 and on October 30. Between these dates, town councils determine when the bathing season begins and ends in their territory, with some choosing to start earlier and end later.
Source: Observadora
