According to the Fire and Rescue Department, the tragedy occurred on the afternoon of August 2 at the northern beach of Nida. At 13:49, a distress call was received from beach lifeguards reporting that a person had disappeared in the water. It turned out that there were three people in the sea in total: two managed to save themselves, and the third was pulled out by rescuers who had gathered forces.
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After nearly an hour of intensive efforts, at 14:41 medics had to declare the death of a young man, writes Žmones.lt.
This accident once again reminds us that water remains dangerous even for experienced people, and specialists urge not to forget the basic rules of safe behavior.
According to the Fire and Rescue Department, until mid-July this year, firefighters rescued 56 drowned people from bodies of water, while in the same period last year – 62. This year, one minor drowned, while last year there were six such accidents.
Most people drowned this year in June – 14.
Despite a slight improvement, Lithuania still remains among the European Union countries with one of the highest drowning rates – in terms of the number of drowned per 100,000 inhabitants, we are second only to Latvia.
Men drown almost 4 times more often
Statistics show that men drown almost four times more often than women, and most accidents occur among people aged 45–69.
Looking at a longer period, from 2016 to 2025 firefighters rescued 1,235 drowned people from bodies of water, including 57 children. Almost 42% of all drownings occurred in the summer months, when people spend more time near or in the water, enjoying themselves and relaxing.
Main causes of drownings remain unchanged
According to specialists, most accidents repeat due to the same reasons:
- people often overestimate their physical abilities,
- swim while intoxicated by alcohol or other psychoactive substances,
- jump into unknown bodies of water,
- ignore safe behavior rules,
- leave children unattended.
According to the State Forensic Medicine Service, on average, as many as 57% of drowned people have alcohol detected in their blood.
Research shows that intoxication impairs the ability to assess danger, slows reaction, and leads to irresponsible decisions that can end in tragedy.
Another trend is also observed – accidents mostly happen not in resorts or by the sea, but in places well known to people – lakes, rivers, or ponds near their homes.
In rural areas, people drown more than twice as often as in cities.
Safety starts with responsible behavior
Specialists urge to swim only in known and safe places, but even there never to enter the water intoxicated by alcohol or other psychoactive substances, not to jump into unknown bodies of water, and never leave children unattended in or near water.
When boating or using other watercraft, it is necessary to wear a life jacket, and it is useful for everyone to learn not only to swim but also to provide first aid.
If you see a person drowning, the first thing to do is to call emergency number 112.
Rescuing a person by swimming should only be done after assessing your own abilities – the safest way is to give or throw a floating object to the drowning person and help them reach the shore without risking your own life.
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