Water Safety Scotland

Water Safety Scotland aims to reduce accidental drowning deaths in Scotland by 50 per cent by 2026.

Drowning is among the leading causes of accidental deaths in Scotland. Water Safety Scotland’s main purpose is to understand the risks around water in Scotland and engage with partners to develop a consistent approach to the prevention of water related fatalities.

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News Headlines

• Human chain created to save family – A human chain was created to save a drowning family caught in a riptide in the Gulf of Mexico.
• Boy drowns trying to save girl – A boy died trying to help a girl who got into difficulties in a marina.
• Misadventure verdict in Camber Sands drownings – A coroner has concluded that the deaths of seven men, who drowned at Camber Sands, were due to misadventure.
• Swimmers died during heatwave – Three swimmers died during the recent heatwave after getting into difficulty in open water.
• Runner drowned in canal – A man drowned after falling into a canal while out jogging.
• Policeman drowned – A British police officer drowned after running into the sea off Brighton beach.
• Shark attack – A British surfer was attacked by a shark off the coast of Devon.
• Girl almost drowns – A six-year-old girl almost drowned after her hair got stuck in a swimming pool filter in Lanzarote.  
• Clare Adamson raises question in Parliament – Clare Adamson MSP asked the Scottish Government how it promotes safe recreational water activity.
• 19-year-old man dies in river – A man died after getting into difficulty at a waterfall on the River Swale in North Yorkshire.
• Boy, 3, dies in swimming pool accident  – A boy has died following a swimming pool accident in the Costa Blanca, Spain.
• NHS trust to be prosecuted – Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust is to be prosecuted after an 18-year-old patient drowned at one of its specialist facilities while suffering an epileptic seizure.
• Two men found dead – Two men have been found dead in the Irish Sea after their speedboat went missing.
• Jet skier dies – A man died at Loch Lomond after falling off a jet ski.
• Children rescued – Former England footballer James Beattie rescued two children after their yacht collided with a ferry in Poole Harbour.
• Firefighter saves girl – A firefighter saved a toddler’s life while on his honeymoon in Dubai.
• Mother recalls drowning tragedy – Gillian Barclay spoke in honour of her 18-year-old son at RoSPA’s Water Safety Conference.
• Drowning man saved – A policeman saved a football fan who had fallen into the River Trent
• Two-year-old boy drowns – A two-year-old boy drowned in the River Ericht in Perthshire.
• Man rescued – A man was rescued from Eastbourne Pier after he jumped into the water and began to show signs of cold water shock.
• British tourist drowns – A British woman has drowned while snorkelling with friends off the Cambodian island of Koh Rang.
• Man drowns – A dog tried to rescue its owner after he fell into a stream and drowned in Slough.
• Man dies on holiday – A British man has died after falling off a breakwater at a beach in Costa Del Sol.
• Man rescued trying to save dog – A man has been rescued after jumping into the river Blyth, in Suffolk, to save his dog.
• Boy found dead in lake – A 16–year-old-boy was found dead in a lake in Kent.
• Teen drowns off Thai island – A 19-year-old girl drowned off Koh Chang beach, Thailand, while on a dream holiday, an inquest heard.
• Woman dies on holiday  A woman died after being rescued off the coast of Cornwall.
• Inquest into young man’s death – An inquest into the drowning of a promising cricketer heard how he was urged to join friends in the River Avon near Bath in Somerset, despite telling them he could not swim.
• British father dies after getting caught in a riptide –A British man died after getting caught in a riptide while snorkelling in Australia.
• 19-year-old-boy found in River Avon – A boy whose body was found in the River Avon in Bath, Somerset, is believed to have been kicked out of a club after trying to stop a fight.
• Woman dies in sea – A woman has died after being rescued from the sea near Folkestone
• Crew rescued – Helicopters airlifted 11 crew members from a cargo ship during Storm Angus
• Public safety measures to be investigated – A coroner is to investigate how safety could be improved at Camber Sands where seven people died this summer.
• B&B well death fall – A woman drowned after she fell into a well in Gloucestershire
• Vandals stole safety signs – vandals stole safety signs days before two teenagers drowned
• Lifeguards "did not save" tourist – a woman died after struggling in the water in Spain, with an inquest hearing that lifeguards ignored pleas for help
• Diver dies and two injured – a man has died and two others were injured after diving off the coast of Cornwall
• Boy dies in river – the body of a 14-year-old boy was found in the River Erewash, Nottingham
• Man drowns in a rescue attempt – a man drowned trying to rescue his partner's daughter whilst they were scuba diving
• Fifteen-year-old boy drowns – a 15-year-old boy drowned in the River Thames after getting tangled in weeds
• Campaigners call for swimming lessons – there were calls for swimming lessons to be made compulsory in Scotland after a spate of drownings across the UK
• Five dead at Camber Sands – Five men were pulled dead from the sea at Camber Sands, East Sussex