Drowning: What bathers can do in the event of an emergency in the water

On hot summer days, many people cool off in lakes and rivers, but swimming trips often end in death. According to the German Life Saving Association (DLRG), at least 378 people drowned in Germany in 2023. The majority of those who died while swimming were men. And it’s not just non-swimmers who drown. If you overestimate yourself, drink alcohol, or if your circulation suddenly weakens, bodies of water are dangerous places. When people drown, it looks different than in Hollywood films.

How do I know if someone is drowning?

“Drowning often doesn’t look like drowning. Often people are swimming normally, then suddenly they’re gone,” says Horst Auer, German Life Saving Association Bavaria (DLRG), to the Bavarian Broadcasting Corporation. Drowning people don’t scream for help or thrash around wildly. They don’t have the strength to do that. Drowning people can only stay on the surface of the water for 20 to 60 seconds at most before their strength completely disappears and they sink, says the DLRG Ubstadt-Weiher local group.

Signs of drowning:

How can I help as a bather?

If you suspect that someone in the water is in danger of death, you should immediately call the emergency services on 112. Local lifeguards should also be informed as quickly as possible. Important: Remember the spot in the water and describe it to the rescuers as precisely as possible.

Bathers can throw floating objects such as a life jacket or lifebuoy to the drowning person. But throwing a towel or clothing into the water can also be useful so that rescue workers can more easily locate the drowning person, for example in flowing water. As a bather, you can also speak to the drowning person and try to calm them down.

Only really experienced swimmers should rescue drowning people. A seahorse badge alone is not enough. “The basic rule is: you must be able to avoid endangering yourself,” says Horst Auer from the DLRG Bavaria to the “Bayerischer Rundfunk”. “A drowning person will grab at anything that promises support. First try to calm the person down and then bring them to the shore,” continues Auer. Otherwise, there is a great risk that the drowning person will grab the rescuer and pull them under water. When swimming back to land, it is important that the head of the person to be rescued is kept above water.

Lifeguards have mastered various techniques for pulling drowning people out of the water. Even laypeople can use the simplest techniques: In the head drag, the rescuers grab the drowning person’s head from behind with both hands without squeezing the neck. In the armpit drag, the rescuer grabs the person from behind under the armpits. Both people are lying on their backs. But this only works if the rescuers are good back swimmers and the drowning person is calm.

What to do once the person has been brought to shore?

How can I prevent swimming accidents?

Most people in Germany drown in rivers, canals and lakes because the currents in the watercourses are often underestimated. “With a view to the next bathing season, the DLRG calls on people to avoid these waters and spend their free time at supervised bathing areas,” appealed Ute Vogt, President of the DLRG, when presenting the drowning statistics for 2023.

Swimmers should be careful not to overestimate themselves. Anyone who wants to go swimming should avoid alcohol and other drugs before jumping into the water. Anyone who feels unwell or starts to feel cold should get out of the water. Long distances should not be swum alone. And parents should not let their children out of their sight – water wings alone do not protect them from drowning.

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