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Malaga: 15 Drownings in Beaches and Pools This Summer

The province registers an alarming increase in water fatalities, nearly doubling last year's figures and tripling those from three years ago.

Generic image of a Mediterranean beach at sunset with an empty lifeguard chair.
IA

Generic image of a Mediterranean beach at sunset with an empty lifeguard chair.

The province of Malaga has registered 15 drowning deaths in beaches and pools since June, a figure that nearly doubles last year's and triples that of 2023.

The summer in the province of Malaga is marked by a tragic statistic: 15 people have lost their lives due to drowning in beaches and pools since last June 12. This figure represents a significant increase compared to previous years, nearly doubling the ten drownings of last summer and tripling the five recorded in 2023.
The upward trend is not limited to the summer months. So far in 2026, the province has recorded 18 victims, a number approaching the total for all of 2025 (22) and significantly exceeding those of 2024 (17) and 2023 (10).

"We don't pay attention to the signs, we don't pay attention to the rescue services, and we lack caution because we are not aware of the dangers of the sea and pools."

Nuria Rodríguez · Vice President of the Lifesaving and Rescue Federation
Experts like Nuria Rodríguez, vice president of the Lifesaving and Rescue Federation, warn of a generalized "lack of caution" as the main cause. She points out that warnings are ignored and the public is unaware of the dangers. Factors such as heatwaves, an increase in tourists, the proliferation of new water sports, and a "shortage of lifeguards" contribute to this alarming situation.
The most common profile of the fatal victims is a man over 65 years old. Of this summer's deceased, six were over that age, and another four were around 60. By month, June accounted for six deaths, July for three, and August has seen another six so far. The Axarquía region is the most affected, with seven drownings across beaches and pools.
The reported cases include a couple aged 75 and 80 in Torrox, a 3-year-old girl in a pool in Cártama, an 80-year-old man in Nerja, and a 34-year-old male in Fuengirola. In July, a 93-year-old man died in Benalmádena, another 3-year-old child in Periana, and a 60-year-old man in Estepona. August began with two pool deaths: a 58-year-old man in Cómpeta and a 22-year-old youth in El Palo (Málaga capital). Subsequently, an 80-year-old woman died in Fuengirola, and two other bathers, a 60-year-old man in Torremolinos and a 50-year-old woman in Rincón de la Victoria. The latest incident involved a 58-year-old man in Fuengirola after falling from a paddle surf board and hitting a rock.