Five youngsters have drowned in open water across the UK during the recent heatwave, prompting urgent warnings from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) about the dangers of cold water shock. The deaths occurred over the bank holiday weekend and into the following days, with victims ranging from 12 to 15 years old.
The RNLI issued a statement on Tuesday, cautioning that despite record-breaking May temperatures, open water remains dangerously cold. This contrast can induce cold water shock, a physiological response causing hyperventilation, increased heart rate, and blood pressure spikes, which can overwhelm even strong swimmers.
Incidents were reported in multiple counties. On Sunday, the body of 15-year-old Declan Sawyer was recovered from Swanholme Lakes in Lincoln. On Monday, a 13-year-old boy died at Leadbeater Dam in West Yorkshire, and a teenage girl’s body was found at Kingsbury Water Park in Warwickshire. Early Tuesday, a fourth teenager’s body was recovered from Rother Valley Country Park in South Yorkshire.
In Lancashire, a 12-year-old boy died after getting into difficulty in the River Ribble in the Ribble Valley. Additionally, a man in his 60s died of cardiac arrest after entering the sea at Tregirls Beach, Padstow, to help two family members, who were rescued by the public.
The RNLI urged the public, especially schoolchildren on half-term break, to stay safe and respect the water. Police forces across South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Warwickshire, Lincolnshire, Devon and Cornwall, and Lancashire are investigating the incidents, none of which are being treated as suspicious.
