Newsroom
Cyprus was among the four European Union countries with the fewest drowning deaths in 2022, according to data released Tuesday by Eurostat.
The EU’s statistics agency reported that 13 people died from drowning or submersion in Cyprus that year, one of the lowest figures in the bloc. Only Luxembourg, with a single death, and Malta, with three, recorded fewer fatalities. Slovenia reported 25.
Overall, drowning deaths across the EU fell by nearly 4% in 2022, with 4,810 fatalities compared with 5,004 the previous year. The share of drowning deaths among all accidental deaths also dipped slightly, from 3.1% in 2021 to 2.8% in 2022 — the lowest level since records began in 2011.
France reported the highest number of drowning deaths in the EU with 784, accounting for 16.3% of the bloc’s total. Germany followed with 542, Poland with 535, Romania with 472, and Spain with 449.
Authorities noted that the summer season, when beaches and pools are busiest, brings a higher risk of drowning incidents despite overall improvements in safety.
Eurostat also said men accounted for most drowning deaths in every EU country in 2022. In Luxembourg, the only victim was a man. Slovenia was the only country where the gap between male and female victims was relatively small, with 14 men and 11 women among the fatalities.
