As the scorching temperatures continue, the drowning death toll has risen to ten in the UK and Ireland, with eight schoolchildren among the victims. Safety experts have issued blunt warnings to teachers and school leaders as children flock to rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and the sea to cool off during a sweltering half-term.
RNLI Issues Critical Water Safety Advice
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has today offered fresh advice for anyone who finds themselves struggling while swimming. The lifesaving charity warns that while the air temperature may be warm, the waters are often very cold, and cold water shock remains a very real risk.
Nick Ayers, RNLI Water Safety Lead, said: "Most people when struggling in the water will begin to panic and thrash about. We’re urging people to ignore this instinct and remember to float: Tilt your head back, with your ears submerged. Relax and try to breathe normally. Move your hands and legs to help you stay afloat if you need to. It’s fine if your legs sink – we all float differently. Once you’ve regained control of your breathing, you can call for help or swim to safety. If you’re heading to the coast this week, choose a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags, this is the safest place to enjoy the water."
Tragic Deaths Across the UK and Ireland
Among the victims is 13-year-old Reco Puttock, who died in Leadbeater Dam in Halifax, West Yorkshire. Declan Sawyer was discovered during a search of Swanholme Lakes near Lincoln on Sunday, while the UK recorded record-breaking high temperatures. Abbie Carmody-Pepper, also 15, died while bathing at Burrow Beach, Dublin. Her death came hours after the body of a teenage girl, identified locally only as Lil, was retrieved from the water at Kingsbury Water Park in Warwickshire.
On Monday, 13-year-old Reco Puttock was pulled from Leadbeater Dam near Halifax, and on Wednesday night, the body of a 12-year-old boy was recovered from the River Ribble in Lancashire. A sixth young victim, a teenage boy, got into trouble in Rotherham and was found following a search and rescue operation. Police on Wednesday confirmed a body was found in the search for a 17-year-old who went missing while swimming in a patch of open water in Cheshire. Yesterday, the body of a teenage boy was also recovered from a pond in Swanscombe, Kent.
Pressure Grows for Water Education in Schools
Pressure is mounting on the government to place water education on the curriculum. The Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS UK), a drowning prevention charity, fears waiting until September could have serious consequences following the deaths of the teenagers over the Bank Holiday weekend. While education bosses are committed to supporting the plan, the organisation has told them to act fast to prevent further tragedy.
They said: "RLSS UK contributed to reaching a significant milestone towards its goal of embedding lifesaving education in classrooms across all nations with the inclusion of water safety education in England's RHSE curriculum. Whilst a foundation of water safety will be included in England’s school curriculum from September, this vital information needs to be taught now across the UK to prevent tragedies."
The Outdoor Swimming Society also joined the demand for better education about the dangers of water. The time had come to flood social media with warnings as soon as the warm weather arrives, it said. The society's Kate Rew, author of the Outdoor Swimmers’ Handbook, stressed that the biggest step toward reducing deaths is not by telling kids to stay out of the water, but by teaching them how to use it. She thinks targeted campaigns on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram will ram home a safety message severely lacking in recent years.
Steps to Take If You Find Yourself in Trouble
- Tilt your head back with your ears submerged
- Relax and try to breathe normally
- Move your hands and legs to help you stay afloat
- It’s OK if your legs sink, we all float differently
- Once your breathing is under control, call for help or swim to safety
What to Do If You See Someone Struggling in Water
- Call 999 and ask for the fire service – they are best trained to deal with a rescue
- Shout and encourage them to float on their back – let them know that help is on the way
- Find a rescue aid such as a life ring, throw line or reach pole. If there is no public rescue aid equipment, throw anything that will float
- Don't be tempted to go in. The water might be cold, which will limit your ability to swim
- Before pulling someone out of the water, get down on one knee or lie down so you don't fall in
- Keep sight of the casualty to help the emergency services locate them more quickly
