Drowning Accidents in Austria: Already 25 Deaths in the First Half of 2025

Of the 25 fatalities, 23 are male and 2 are female. This continues a trend that has already been observed in previous years. In the same period last year, the KFV had counted 14 drowning accidents, seven women and seven men. On 22 June alone and on the preceding Sunday, three people died each day.

Drowning Numbers Have Been Rising for Years

Numerous accidents occurred in flowing waters. On the Sunday, which invited people to swim due to the weather conditions, an accident involving three people, including a ten-year-old boy, occurred in the Ill in Bludenz in Vorarlberg. The 22-year-old died at the scene of the accident, the ten-year-old succumbed to his injuries in the evening at the Feldkirch regional hospital, and a 40-year-old man, who had also been brought to the hospital in critical condition, also died as a result.

On 25 June, three men on stand-up paddleboards had an accident on the Marchfeld Canal near Gerasdorf in Lower Austria, according to current information, while passing through a lock. A death is also reported from the Traisen in St. Pölten: a 46-year-old could be resuscitated and brought to the St. Pölten University Hospital, but died there shortly afterwards. In Vienna, a 41-year-old who had been recovered from the New Danube on 29 June died in hospital on 6 July.

Rivers and Canals as Accident Hotspots

The drowning figures of recent years in Austria illustrate how dangerous open waters can be: in 2019 there were 38 deaths, in 2020 then 28, in 2021 the number rose to 36, in 2022 to 40, in 2023 it reached a peak with 50 fatalities, and in 2024 the number was 44. The first fatal drowning accident of 2025 dates back to May. Particularly many accidents occurred in Lower Austria and Vienna.

Johanna Trauner-Karner, head of the Sport and Leisure Safety Department at the KFV, sees a particular hazard situation in the current season. She emphasises that "Kalte Flüsse, Strömungen oder Wellengang Kinder und Erwachsene, selbst sehr geübte Schwimmerinnen und Schwimmer, vor völlig andere Herausforderungen" stellen. She therefore recommends "eine gut sichtbare aufblasbare Schwimmboje" as well as "regelmäßige Schwimm- und Sicherheitstrainings".

Experts Demand Greater Safety

From the expert's perspective, safety measures are also essential on private property: "Im privaten Bereich empfehlen wir mit Nachdruck, Pools, Biotope und Gartenteiche durch geeignete Zäune oder andere Zugangssicherungen abzusichern." This would provide better protection particularly for children.

The situation is serious, Trauner-Karner continues: "Die Zahl der tödlichen Ertrinkungsunfälle in Österreich ist derzeit enorm. Wir müssen leider davon ausgehen, dass sich dieser Sommer zu einem traurigen Rekordjahr entwickeln könnte - obwohl diese Tragödien vermeidbar wären." The KFV appeals to swimmers to know their own limits and not to enter unsupervised waters, especially when weather changes can intensify currents.

Regardless of the warnings, high temperatures draw many people to lakes, rivers, and swimming pools during hot weather. Rescue organisations point out that particularly in the first hot days of summer, the number of operations rises sharply. The current figures suggest that education and personal responsibility are in greater demand this season than in previous years.

For the coming weeks, the authorities expect temperatures to continue rising and thus a continuation of the trend. The KFV announced that it will continue to monitor the development and publish an updated assessment during the course of the summer.