301 drowning cases in France due to heat

AFP – France recorded 301 drowning cases this summer, a significant increase compared to the number of cases registered a year ago, according to the French Minister of Sport, who attributed the rise to heatwaves that swept across Europe.

Speaking on France Inter radio, Minister Marina Ferrari said that the 301 drowning cases recorded since June 15 represent a 14 percent increase compared to the summer of 2025.

The minister described the drowning toll as “a sad statistic,” noting that the rise in cases “is due to repeated heatwaves” that have struck many European countries, a phenomenon experts say is driven by human-caused climate change.

She added, “Many people are swimming in ways that involve considerable risk.”

She clarified that “many fatal incidents occurred in unlicensed or unsupervised swimming areas.”