Tourists warned after upsurge of drownings in Spain

HOLIDAYMAKERS have been warned to take more care after a report revealed that there have been 50 more drownings in Spain this year than in 2016.

A total of 375 people lost their lives in the period from January 1 to August 31, the majority (235) during the holiday months of June, July and August.

In July 95 people were killed, an average of three per day, according to the annual National Drowning Report prepared by the Royal Spanish Federation of Rescue and First Aid.

Lead analyst Jessica Pino Espinosa explained that the highest number of drownings was recorded in Andalucia, with 66 victims (17.6 per cent of the total), followed by the Valencian Country and the Canary Islands, both with 55 (14.7 per cent).

The typical profile is that of a man (80 per cent) of Spanish nationality (75 per cent) and older than 35 (71 per cent).

According to Ms Espinosa, the main causes of death are “recklessness, ignoring warning flags or the instructions of life guards, and bathing in unsupervised areas with which the deceased was unfamiliar.

“We recommend that beachgoers only swim in supervised areas and never alone.”

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