Catalonia sees rise in drowning deaths during summer

At least seven people have died by drowning in pools in Catalonia since the summer bathing campaign began on 15 June, including a six‑year‑old child who drowned in a hotel pool in Calella. A 78‑year‑old woman also died in a community pool in Sant Vicenç de Montalt, raising the pool‑related death toll to eight. Separate beach incidents have added to the count, with a 76‑year‑old French tourist found dead after collapsing while swimming at Castelló d’Empúries, bringing the total number of water‑related fatalities in the region to 23 since the campaign started. Emergency services deployed multiple ambulances, police patrols and psychologists to assist victims’ families, while Protecció Civil of the Generalitat warned that injuries from drowning have also risen, with about twenty people treated for non‑fatal incidents, most of them children. Authorities are urging continuous supervision of swimmers, especially minors, and immediate calls to 112 when someone shows distress in the water.