Europe sizzles under heat wave with little relief in sight
06/22/2026 June 22, 2026 Hot weather leads to weekend drownings, say German lifeguards DLRG members carry out a training exercise Image: Manngold/IMAGO The German Life
06/22/2026 June 22, 2026 Hot weather leads to weekend drownings, say German lifeguards DLRG members carry out a training exercise Image: Manngold/IMAGO The German Life Saving Association (DLRG), the largest volunteer lifeguard association in the world, says it registered six drowning deaths over the weekend, and three were recorded last Thursday alone, as people sought relief from extreme heat.
"Unfortunately, fears of repeated deadly accidents were not unfounded," said a DLRG spokesperson on Monday, noting that more cases could be registered after the fact. The DLRG regularly warns of the dangers of drowning in Germany's pools, ponds, lakes and rivers. The DLRG said one group in particular, men, and more specifically young men, consistently put themselves in harm's way.
"Over and over we see men overestimating their abilities and putting themselves in risk situations that are easily avoidable," said DLRG President Ute Vogt. In 2025, men accounted for four-in-five drowning deaths — 82%. All of the six individuals who drowned over the weekend were men ranging in age from 19 to 53. Four more individuals, also men, remain missing.
Beyond lack of swimming skills, the DLRG also made clear that people should not simply jump into cold water when they are hot, but enter slowly to allow the body to adjust to potentially extreme temperature differences. Moreover, the DLRG recommends always swimming in monitored swimming areas and warns against swimming alone.
The BriefWire