Italy reports more than 600 drownings in 2024‑25, urges safety measures
A report by the national drowning‑prevention observatory shows 604 fatal drownings in Italy during 2024‑2025. Men accounted for 80.7% of the cases (482 deaths). About 30% of victims were over 65, while 23% were under 24 years old.
The incidents were almost evenly split between the sea (281 deaths) and inland waters (277 deaths), with 37 deaths occurring in swimming pools. The most affected regions were Lombardy (90), Veneto (73), Tuscany (52), Lazio (51), the southern islands of Puglia, Sardinia and Sicily (41 each) and Emilia‑Romagna (37).
The leading cause was medical distress in water (44.9%), followed by falls, adverse weather or sea conditions, and currents. In roughly 6% of cases, a red‑flag warning was ignored. The observatory, supported by the Health Ministry, ISS, ISPRA, port authorities and local governments, presented 13 prevention recommendations, including constant supervision of children, fencing of private pools, swimming education and obeying red‑flag signals.