Drank alcohol? Stay out of the water. The sad truth about drownings in Poland

As every year on 25 July, Wodne Sprawy marks World Drowning Prevention Day. Unfortunately, the topic still needs to be addressed, because almost every day during the summer holidays someone loses their life due to carelessness or poor judgment. These tragic stories should serve as a warning to us all.

Drownings are an everyday reality

According to data from the Government Centre for Security, 133 people have drowned in Poland since the beginning of April, including 88 since 1 June.

Heatwaves encourage risky behaviour. As the Polish Police reported on its X profile, as many as 17 people lost their lives in lakes, rivers and reservoirs on the hot Sunday of 29 June. This tragic toll shows that desperately seeking relief from the heat is never a good idea.

Some scenarios are almost impossible to imagine when planning a carefree holiday by the water. On that unfortunate Sunday in June, a 42-year-old man drowned in Międzywodzie while trying to save his children. The day before, a 78-year-old man went fishing on Lake Karskie Wielkie. His body was later found among the reeds.

Entering the water does not mean it is a bathing area

According to the National Police Headquarters, there were 292 drownings last year, with more than 150 occurring in rivers and lakes. The most common cause of these tragedies was swimming in unguarded, though not prohibited, locations. This has remained the leading cause of drowning accidents year after year and should give everyone pause.

On 20 June this year, a 61-year-old man jumped from a pier into Lake Gumienek in Lubartów County and never resurfaced. The holiday resort where he was staying does not have an official bathing area. The presence of a pier alone does not make a place safe for swimming.

On 30 June, an 11-year-old girl was swimming near an unguarded beach on Lake Zamkowe in Wąbrzeźno. When she disappeared, the Kuyavian-Pomeranian branch of the Volunteer Water Rescue Service launched a search and located her using sonar. After cardiopulmonary resuscitation, she was airlifted to hospital. In this case, help arrived in time, but far too often rescuers are no longer able to save the victim.

In Wrocław, an 18-year-old attempted to swim across a pond on Królewiecka Street. Witnesses saw him disappear beneath the surface and called for help, but Volunteer Water Rescue Service rescuers arrived too late. This is the risk associated with swimming anywhere other than designated bathing areas.

Who drowns in Poland? Older adults and people under the influence

In 2024, 444 people lost their lives in the water, including 215 aged over 50. In 89 cases, the victims had consumed alcohol before drowning. The previous year was even more tragic, with 490 fatalities, while in earlier years the annual death toll consistently exceeded 400. Older age and alcohol consumption remain recurring characteristics of drowning victims in Poland.

Examples are unfortunately easy to find. According to Radio Olsztyn, at the beginning of July a 78-year-old man was spending his holiday in Masuria. Seeking relief from the heat, he jumped from a boat into the water and started swimming. Soon afterwards, he disappeared beneath the surface. His body was recovered by volunteer firefighters from the Ruciane-Nida Fire Brigade.

Sometimes, thermal shock caused by the difference between air and water temperature is enough to trigger a tragedy. Add alcohol to the equation and the risk increases dramatically. The Prevention Bureau of the National Police Headquarters reminds people that even a small amount of alcohol impairs balance, weakens the ability to judge distances and slows reaction time. Drinking alcohol in the sun also promotes dehydration and causes blood vessels to constrict, which can lead to unconsciousness after entering cold water.

As a concluding thought, it is worth quoting the rescuers from the Toruń Volunteer Water Rescue Service, who appealed on Facebook after another drowning in July: Water does not forgive mistakes. A single moment of inattention, fatigue, alcohol, diving into unknown water or swimming in an unguarded location is enough for tragedy to strike.