The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) issued a water safety warning on 26 May 2023, ahead of the bank holiday weekend, after what the charity described as a number of young people losing their lives to drowning that week1. The charity said the forecast showed warm sunny weather continuing across the weekend and into the following week, and that many people would head to waterways for the longer weekend1.
Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK, said the charity had seen a rise in young men drowning in the summer months. The charity did not give a figure for the number of deaths that week, and no further detail on the individual incidents has been reported1.
"Sadly we see an increase in young men drowning in the summer months and we have tragically seen a number in the past few weeks during the warmer weather we have had."
The charity set out its Water Safety Code for people around water, and its advice on what to do in an emergency1:
| Situation | RLSS UK advice |
|---|---|
| Around water | Stop and think to assess surroundings and look for dangers |
| Going to water | Stay together and always go with family and friends |
| Emergency inland | Call 999 and ask for the Fire and Rescue service |
| Emergency at the coast | Call 999 and ask for the Coastguard |
| Fallen in or tired | Stay calm, float on your back and call for help |
| Someone else in the water | Throw something that floats to them and resist the temptation to go in |
Heard also urged people to understand that the water is colder than it looks and not to take risks if they are not experienced with being in cold, open water1.
Why it matters for households
The warning applies to anyone planning to visit the coast, a river or a lake over the bank holiday weekend and into the following week, when warm weather was forecast to continue1. The charity's guidance covers families and groups as well as individuals, and it points to the risk that open water is colder than it appears. Households with children can find the charity's resources on its website, which it says are intended to help families start conversations about water safety with their children1. The site's guide to swimming safely in rivers, lakes and the sea in hot weather covers related precautions, and the heatwaves and drought hub sets the warning in the wider context of hot weather. Households with young children may also want the guide to keeping babies and young children safe in hot weather, and the staying informed hub explains how official warnings and alerts reach the public.
What happens next
RLSS UK said it will hold its annual Drowning Prevention Week campaign from 17 to 24 June 20231.
Swimming Outdoors Safely
