It may have one of the largest coastlines in Europe, have a rich natural aquatic environment, unique large and small islands and provide countless capabilities for leisure and tourism, but Greece is also facing one of the more serious problemsthem drowning. Every year, dozens of our fellow human beings lose their lives in the waters of the country, often in activities that are considered harmless such as swimming.

In 2024, according to the official data of the Safe Water Sports Accident Observatory, which collected in collaboration with the Ministry. Shipping, the Coast Guard and the Greek Police, 395 people lost their lives in the aquatic environment of the country. Of them, the 388 drowning was marked at seaa number reduced by 10 compared to 2023, but particularly alarming and the other seven deaths were recorded in lakes, rivers and swimming tanks.

Reduce 23% in the first half of 2025 compared to 2024

Lifeguard coverage amounted to 93% in 2024, with a 2% increase over the previous year, a sample of progress. In 2025, for the first semester, the data show further improvement. 91 deadly accidents were recorded at sea, a number reduced by 23% compared to the same period of 2024. Of these, 71 were over 60 and 60 were men. The lifeguard coverage so far, for 2025 reaches 88%.

The founder and president of Safe Water Sports, Dr. Panagiotis Paschalakis, speaking to RES-EIA, stresses that “Prevention is the foundation of the effort to enhance security in the aquatic environment” and points out the importance of education from an early age, “targeted information, education and cooperation of all stakeholders attribute and save lives, and this is evident from the reduction of accidents as a result of collective efforts.”

83% of people who lost their lives over 60

The vast majority of victims, the 68%, were men, while 83%were people over 60 years of age. This age distribution shows that old age is the most vulnerable population group, either due to reduced physical abilities or due to incomplete awareness of the risk. Unfortunately, two deadly incidents also involved children, while 14 injuries were recorded in water sports, six of which also involved minors.

“Taking this data, we have already launched a targeted information campaign in collaboration with the Ministry of Maritime and Island Policy, the Coast Guard, the Ministry of Health and the EDY, with the aim of providing advice and prevention guidelines for older ages. Strengthening information, cultivation of risk consciousness and promoting responsible behavior are the way to substantially reduce accidents in water. ‘ Mr. Paschalakis emphasizes.

For his part, the Director of the Hellenic Lifeguard Academy (EKK) Nikos Jovanidis, explained to RES-EIA that, “The main reason that there are no lifeguards since June 1 on the Greek coast is the delays of municipalities that are slow to tend to do the competitions. Lifeguards are very difficult and very large, in size and in expenses. Every municipality must have completed the process of the competition until October last year to solve the problems that arise, such as finding and renting housing, without the need for lifeguards to spend huge amounts. “

“Also, at the last minute it is impossible to organize the lifeguard and school that will take over the service. A higher percentage of competitions in May and a serious percentage after June 1st that the season has already begun. But the process of becoming a lifeguard is also difficult, it is a huge bureaucratic and overly complex process. “ Mr. Jovanidis noted.

Need institutional and economic improvements

“The recruitment of staff for the lifeguard of the coast is done by the municipalities, but first the Port Authorities issued a decision to cover any coastline with lifeguards,” he points out Mayor of Alimos, Andreas Kondylis And he stresses that, “This often leads to completing the recruitment procedures by municipalities with delay, even after June 1st.”

“The situation will be significantly improved if the port decides very early, at the beginning of each year, for the lifeguard hours of each coast and informs the municipality immediately. If municipalities are allowed to initiate the recruitment of seasonal staff from January 1 of each year and, together with the Coast Guard’s decision to cover each coast, the corresponding expense is automatically calculated, so that it is paid to the Municipality by the Ministry of the Interior. Only in this way, will the financial problems for the lifeguard coverage of the coasts, which today are faced by municipalities, will not arise. “explains the Mayor of Alimos.