Canary Islands had 51% more drowning deaths than traffic accidents

The comparative analysis carried out by the Association for Drowning Prevention 'Canarias, 1500 Km de Costa' has revealed that the Canary Islands registered 51% more deaths by drowning (74) than by traffic accidents (49) last year.

The Canary Islands has registered a number of deaths from aquatic incidents higher than that of roads, something that has also happened in the Balearic Islands in the national territory, which exceeded deaths from drowning (39) to deaths on the road (25) by 56%.

These data, as detailed by the platform 'Canarias, 1500 Km de Costa' in a statement, have been collected from the General Directorate of Security and Emergencies of the Government of the Canary Islands, through 112 Canarias and the General Directorate of Traffic, which details mortality on Spanish roads by communities during the year 2022.

The data collected by this association to prevent aquatic accidents confirms the same conclusion as in previous years: "the leading cause of accidental death in the Canary Islands is drowning, significantly exceeding those recorded on the islands' roads", at least in the last four years in which statistical studies have been carried out.

In 2020, the Platform recorded 43 fatal drownings, which doubled the number of deaths from traffic accidents (22). That year, only Cantabria, like the islands, exceeded the number of deaths by drowning (12) compared to those of traffic (9).

In 2019, 57 deaths by submersion were recorded in the Canary Islands, compared to 39 deaths in traffic accidents. In 2018, 56 people lost their lives drowned in the Canary Islands, compared to 43 who did so on the roads. Also, again, the Balearic Islands exceeded the number of fatal drownings (49) with deaths on the road (45).

'Canarias, 1500 Km de Costa' has launched the first audiovisual campaign in the European Union aimed at raising awareness and promoting the culture of aquatic prevention and safety.