Very alarming data was presented Sunday in the Knesset’s Interior Committee, revealing that the number of drowning deaths on Israel’s coasts is almost the same as the entirety of 2022. According a report from the Knesset’s Information and Research Center, 30 people drowned and died last year. So far this year, the number of people killed on Israel’s coasts has already reached 24 people.
The report examined the period between April 2022 and June 2023. According to the report, in the current season, there are 156 beaches declared for swimming across Israel. Only 7% of the beaches in Israel are beaches allowed for bathing purposes, with more than half banning swimming, and another 37% with no status attached.
The bathing season began in April 2022 and ended at the end of October. Last year 30 people drowned and died, including 26 during the bathing season. Five people drowned and died on declared beaches while there were rescue services, and the remaining 21 people perished on beaches with no rescue services present.
In addition, ten drowned on beaches prohibited for bathing and three drowned on beaches with no status. The vast majority of those who drowned were men. 13 were in the 19-50 year age range, with the two youngest victims being 16 and 18 years old. Eight people who drowned and died were 60 years old or older.
Number of drowning deaths increases exponentially in Israel
The data is discouraging from the get-go. This year’s season, which began on March 29 and will last until October 14, has already claimed the lives of 24 people as of July 10. 21 of them drowned during the bathing season. Six people drowned when there were rescue services on the beach and 15 when there were not.
Israelis enjoy the beach in Tel Aviv as a winter heatwave hits Israel, February 28, 2023. (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/FLASH90)In addition, nine people drowned and died on beaches that were unofficial. The data provided by the Knesset’s Research and Information Center prove that most of the people who drowned and died from the middle of last year until now drowned while swimming in a place without or generally lacking rescue services at an unofficial beach.
The initiator of the report, Chairman of the Interior Committee MK Yaakov Asher of United Torah Judaism, said: “The trend emerging from this report is that we are already facing a number of deaths approaching the total accumulated last year as a whole. This requires drawing conclusions and taking immediate action. In this morning’s discussion, we will examine all the aspects that exist and can be improved, in order to make sure that all necessary actions will be taken to save the lives of the bathing public.
“Most of those who drown, drown in an undeclared beach. I myself almost lost my wife, even though I am a professional swimmer, but even the European champion can’t do it at sea. With the help of publicizing and increasing the declared beaches, we can save people’s lives.”
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