The RNLI is urging swimmers to stay safe on beaches and off the coast, as new figures show that the summer of 2022 was one of the charity’s busiest on record.

A report released today (25 July 2023), on World Drowning Prevention Day, shows RNLI lifeguards attended more than 10,000 incidents on beaches from July 25 to September 2 last year in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, aiding 13,758 people.

This represents an increase in the 4,777 incidents recorded in 2021, and its busiest summer in six years.

The RNLI has re-issued key summer safety advice for swimmers to remember. The charity recommends swimmers only visit a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags. If you get into trouble, ‘float to live’ by tilting your head back with your ears submerged and try to relax and control your breathing. Use your hands to help you stay afloat, and then call for help or swim to safety if you can. In an emergency, call 999 in an emergency and ask for the Coastguard.

“Now the weather is warming up, we expect to see a big increase in visitors to UK coastlines and unfortunately this does mean there is likely to be an increase in the number of incidents in the sea,” says Gareth Morrison, head of water safety at the RNLI.

“Many of the incidents our lifeguards attend during the school holidays involve children and teenagers and we would urge everyone to be aware of the risks and know what to do in an emergency.

“Our main advice is to visit a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags. RNLI lifeguards will be patrolling around 245 beaches this summer to offer advice on how to stay safe and they are also there to help anyone who gets into trouble.

“We want people to think about their own safety, take time to familiarise yourself with our advice and to share this with your friends and family.”

Figures from the Water Incident Database (WAID) show there were 226 deaths in the UK from accidental drownings in 2022, across inland and coastal locations. In total, 41 of these were in July and 44 in August – more than twice the number than in any other month. Of the people who died, 40 per cent had no intention of entering the water.

World Drowning Prevention Day was established in 2021, following the adoption of a first-ever United Nations (UN) resolution on global drowning prevention.

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