Two teenagers drown in Besançon’s Doubs River during illegal swim

On 20 June 2026, two adolescents died after swimming in a prohibited area of the Doubs River near the Micaud dam in Besançon. One of the boys disappeared under the water and his friend attempted to rescue him, only to be pulled under as well. Witnesses and firefighters rushed to the scene, pulling the victims from the river, but both were in cardiac arrest and could not be revived.

Mayor Ludovic Fagaut and municipal officials expressed condolences, announced a psychological support service for families and witnesses, and reiterated the ban on swimming in the river due to strong, unpredictable currents. The incident occurred amid a heat wave, with the department under orange‑level vigilance. Public health data show 409 drownings in France during summer 2025, a 16 % rise from the previous year, including 57 children and adolescents.

A related report noted that the same day saw additional adolescent drownings in Dunkirk and Dordogne, highlighting a broader pattern of heat‑related water accidents across the country.