Eurostat figures published August 27 show that in 2021, there were 5 004 deaths by drowning and submersion in the EU, 532 more than in 2020 (4 472).
The share of drownings and submersion fatalities out of all accidental deaths also rose slightly from 2.9% in 2020 to 3.1% in 2021. However, this share was considerably lower than the 4.2% recorded in 2011, reflecting an almost steady decrease over the past 10 years.
In 2021, among EU countries, the highest number of drowning and submersion deaths was reported in Romania (1 033), 21% of all drowning fatalities in the EU. France (653), Poland (466) and Germany (457) followed at a distance. The lowest numbers were recorded in Luxembourg (1), Malta (3) and Cyprus (9).
In 2021, drowning deaths among males were more than twice as high as those among females in nearly all EU countries. The only exceptions were Austria (33 males, 19 females) and Malta (1 males and 2 females).
Latvia had 117 drownings (89 males, 28 females) – more than in many more populous countries such as Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal and Croatia. The figure was up on 2020's figure of 107 drownings.
When popuation size is taken into account, the size of the drowning problem in Latvia becomes clear. Latvia had a population of just under 1.9 million in 2021, so that equates to about 61 drownings per million of population. Chart-topping Romania had a population of almost 19 million, which works out at 54 drownings per million of population.
