Forty-three people drowned in Switzerland last year, almost all of them in open water, according to the Swiss Lifesaving Society (SLS). Young adults and the elderly were the groups most affected.
The death toll fell below 50 for the first time since 2021. There were 59 fatal drownings in 2024 and a record 66 in 2022.
As in previous years, men accounted for around 80% of victims. Ten people aged between 17 and 32 died—eight men and two women—representing nearly a quarter of all fatalities.
A longer-term trend also continued. Seventeen victims were over 65, including 14 men and three women, accounting for 40% of the total. The SLS says similar patterns have emerged abroad, possibly because older people are spending more time in the water while also facing greater health risks and overestimating their physical abilities. This age group is growing as populations age.
Fatal drownings among young children remained rare. Last year a two-year-old boy died in an above-ground garden pool, while a 14-year-old was found dead in a stream. The ages of two male victims were not identified.
Most drownings occurred in open water: 23 in lakes and 15 in rivers. These figures include two diving accidents, one in Lake Thun and another during a police operation in the river Limmat.
Despite the decline in deaths, the SLS warned against complacency. July 2025 was unusually wet and unsettled, with rainfall well above average in many parts of the country, which may have discouraged swimming.
Prevention efforts, especially those aimed at children, should therefore continue, the organisation said. It noted that adults supervising children at swimming pools are often distracted by mobile phones or other activities.
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SLS article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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