On behalf of the National Sea Rescue Institute, we invite you to join us in commemorating World Drowning Prevention Day (WDPD) on the 25th of July 2025. This is the fourth year of WDPD since it was declared officially in 2021 through the United Nations General Assembly Resolution. This advocacy day was declared to recognize the implications of drowning on a global scale.
Each year, drowning tragically claims more than 236,000 lives worldwide. It remains one of the top ten causes of death among children aged 5 to 14. Around 90% of drowning incidents occur in low- and middle-income countries. Research consistently identifies children and socio-economically disadvantaged communities as the most at-risk groups.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 2,700 of these fatalities occur in South Africa alone. As a result, WDPD calls for the need for stakeholders around the globe in their respective disciplines to collaborate in evaluating and reiterating appropriate and targeted solutions to reduce the high number of drownings.
“This is not just a statistic; it’s a call to action,” says Mike Vonk, NSRI CEO. “World Drowning Prevention Day reminds us that while anyone can drown, no one should.”
Since 2006, the NSRI has worked tirelessly to prevent drowning through various initiatives, including Water Safety Education, Survival Swimming, the Pink Rescue Buoy, the free SafeTRX app, and, of course, Sea Rescue and Inland Rescue, all of which focus on empowering communities with lifesaving knowledge and tools.
On this important day, the NSRI urges all South Africans, from individuals and families to swim schools and community groups, to join us in raising awareness and promoting water safety practices. Together, we can prevent drowning and save lives.
Wear blue, share your personal stories and help to make a real difference. Save lives this World Drowning Prevention Day – Friday, 25 July 2025.
