Lifeguard union raises coverage concerns for Crete beaches as Greece logs 378 drowning deaths a year on average
Greece’s National Public Health Organization (EODY) reports an average of 378 fatal water accidents a year over the past five years, with 99% of them occurring at sea, according to a report published in early July as part of a World Health Organization initiative on drowning prevention. It was the first time EODY took part in the report. Greece’s drowning rate is estimated at 3.6 per 100,000 population.
The figures come as beach safety in Crete draws renewed attention this summer, with concerns ranging from heatwave-linked drowning risks to the spread of pufferfish, according to a report by Nea Kriti and neakriti.gr.
Rising heatwave, rising drownings
France offered a stark example of the link between extreme heat and drowning. French Sports and Youth Minister Marina Ferrari told radio station RMC that more than 90 people drowned in French waters between June 19 and July 2, during a heatwave, calling it “a worrying number.” She said there is no typical victim profile: very young children are particularly vulnerable and should not be left unsupervised, while some young people take risks such as jumping from bridges or entering canals without supervision.
Other European countries hit by the heatwave also recorded drowning deaths in the same period, though the figures were not yet final as of early July: 56 in Poland, at least 2 in Belgium, 5 in Germany and 9 in England.
Globally, the WHO report cited by EODY states that 300,000 people die from drowning every year, with children and young people disproportionately affected. Children under 5 account for nearly a quarter of all drowning deaths and have the highest drowning mortality rate, at 10.9 per 100,000 population, followed by people aged 70 and older, at 7.7 per 100,000.
The real risk factors
EODY identifies two main causes of drowning: not knowing how to swim, and a lack of close, uninterrupted supervision of children.
The Child Trauma Prevention Association (“Antimetopisi Paidikou Traumatos”) says structured swimming lessons from a young age, taught by qualified instructors, are among the most effective preventive measures, helping children build technique, confidence and an awareness of risk. The association says it has so far informed more than 72,245 children and 3,658 teachers and parents about the risks and prevention of child accidents.
The association told Nea Kriti and neakriti.gr that knowing how to swim does not mean a child is safe without supervision, since even strong swimmers can be caught by currents, become exhausted or panic. Continuous supervision by a responsible adult remains the most important protective factor, it said. The group also recommends that children never move away from the shore unsupervised, even when the sea appears calm, since currents, sudden weather changes or fatigue can turn a swim dangerous. It advises waiting about three hours after eating before swimming, and avoiding the water altogether when the sea is rough or there are warnings of strong winds and currents.
Lifeguard coverage across Crete
Certified lifeguards are required at organized and busy beaches from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., a rule that applies to municipalities and other bodies managing coastal areas, for a season that runs through September 30.
Giannis Stamathioudakis, president of the lifeguard union in Heraklion, told Nea Kriti and neakriti.gr that recruitment procedures were completed on time again this year, but questioned whether coverage is actually complete. “The needs of each tourist season are intense, and there are not always enough lifeguards to cover them,” he said. He added that lifeguards are officially required on Crete’s beaches from June 1 to September 1, even though in practice the season often starts in April and can extend to October or later. He said he doubted municipalities would extend coverage this year either, noting they had again left out April and May and were likely to leave out the autumn months as well, which he described as effectively an extension of summer.
In the Heraklion area, lifeguards are notably present in Ammoudara, Hersonissos and Malia, where high visitor numbers and heavy sea use require continuous monitoring. The Municipality of Hersonissos signed a contract worth €600,000 last month covering the period through September, with an option for an additional month that would extend coverage into October, the mayor told Nea Kriti and neakriti.gr.
The Municipality of Malevizi has staffed 12 lifeguard towers along its busiest beaches, with coverage at seven points in Ammoudara as well as at Lygaria, Agia Pelagia, Paleokastro, Mononaftis and Fodele. A lifeguard boat is also stationed at Fodele beach, ready to respond if needed.
In Chania, lifeguards are placed at organized beaches such as Agia Marina and Platanias, as well as at selected points around Chania Bay, where tourist numbers rise sharply during peak season. In Rethymno, coverage focuses mainly on the city’s coastal zone and popular beaches east and west of the urban area, where bather numbers are highest. In Lasithi, emphasis is placed on areas of high tourism development such as Elounda and the organized beaches of Agios Nikolaos.
Pufferfish sightings put in perspective
The pufferfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus), a Lessepsian migrant species now established in the Mediterranean, has become a focus of misinformation and alarm this summer, according to the report. An interactive map maintained by the ELNAIS network shows dense sighting records in waters around Crete, the Dodecanese, the Cyclades, and the central and northern Aegean, as well as along the coasts of Turkey and Cyprus.
While the species is considered a problem for fishermen because it damages their catches, researchers estimate the probability of a pufferfish attacking a human at one in three million. The only recorded incidents involving swimmers occurred when people approached the fish and tried to touch or frighten it.
