Canarias has registered thirteen fatalities by drowning in just the first two months of 2026, six of them, in February, according to data compiled by the Association for the prevention of aquatic accidents 'Canarias, 1500 Km de Costa'.
This figure represents an increase of two fatal victims (+18%) compared to those registered in the same period last year (11). In addition to the (6) deceased, in February (3) affected in critical condition were counted; (2) seriously injured; (2) moderate and (2) minor.
In total, the number of injured in the water amounts to 40 people so far this year, 29% more than the previous year (31).
The majority of drowned people went into the sea with alerts activated
The 92% of the people who died drowned, had entered the sea during pre-alerts and/or alerts activated by the Government of Canarias, due to adverse coastal phenomena.
To the deaths, 17 people who were affected to varying degrees during the first two months of the year are added: (3) in critical condition, (3) seriously injured; (5) moderate and (6) minor. To this, (10) unharmed rescued are added.
Eight of the people who lost their lives were adult victims; another three of them, of unknown age; (2) of them, were over 60 years old. Of the total drowned, ten were males; (3) females.
By nationalities, seven of the identified deceased were foreigners: Germans (2); American (1); Venezuelan (1); Belgian (1); foreigners without specified nationality (2). Spanish (3). Three of the cases were registered without specific information regarding their countries of origin.
On the other hand, six of the deaths by submersion recorded in these months, were carried out by people classified under the heading 'others' (affected individuals who, after a wave or a slip, fall into the water from a pier, a cliff, a promenade etc…; athletes: paragliders, pilots, boat crew members…etc); (3) were bathers; (2), divers; (1), fisherman. One of the victims counted was classified without details of the activity they were performing at the time of the incident.
62% of accidents with a tragic outcome occurred in the afternoon; 15%, in the morning. 8%, at night. 15% of these were registered without information on the time they occurred.
Beaches are once again the environments that concentrated the most accidents: 62% of cases; natural pools (18%); ports and coastal areas (17%). The remaining 3%, swimming pools.
