Why drowning happens and what it really looks like

Drowning is fast, often quiet and usually nothing like the splashing and shouting you see in films. Knowing what it really looks like, and why it happens, is the first step to keeping yourself and others safe.

The scale of the problem

• WHO estimates there are around 300,000 drowning deaths worldwide each year.
• Children under 5 account for nearly a quarter of drowning deaths, and WHO says people aged 0 to 29 make up 57% of deaths.
• WHO reports that the male drowning death rate is more than twice the female rate; studies suggest this is due to more exposure to water and riskier behaviour such as swimming alone or drinking alcohol before swimming.
• WHO notes that floods and heatwaves increase drowning risk, and that drowning accounts for 75% of deaths in flood disasters.
• The lesson for teens is simple: being young and confident does not make you safe. Good habits do.

Why people drown

• Lack of supervision is a major factor. Abu Dhabi Police, quoted by Khaleej Times, said lack of supervision is the leading cause of drowning, especially among children.
• Negligence, pools without rails and a lack of swimming skills are also listed by Abu Dhabi Police as top factors.
• WHO notes that young children are at particularly high risk because of an underdeveloped ability to assess risk and a lack of swimming and water safety skills.
• Public Health Seattle and King County warns that people under the influence of alcohol or drugs are more likely to drown. Do not swim after using either.
• Swimming alone, at night, in rough water or outside lifeguarded zones all remove the safety net that could save you.

What drowning really looks like

• The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) describes the instinctive drowning response: the person bobs upright, arms reaching up then out to the side and pressing down on the water.
• In the RLSS UK example, neither swimmer called for help. A person who is drowning is often using every breath just to breathe, so they cannot shout.
• American Red Cross advice reported by NBC says a drowning person often does not flail or splash, struggles to keep their head above water and cannot call out.
• RLSS UK's key sign: the person's actions and communication, noisy or silent, are not working. They are not making progress towards safety.
• RLSS UK also stresses that no two drowning incidents are the same, so do not wait for a 'textbook' picture before acting.

It happens fast

• Dubai Police's Child and Women Protection Department has warned that children can drown silently within seconds.
• Public Health Seattle and King County says drowning can happen very quickly and silently, and that phones, books and conversations distract supervisors.
• Dubai Police advise parents not to rely only on lifeguards or flotation devices. The same logic applies when you are looking after a younger sibling.
• If someone you are with goes quiet in the water, stops making progress or looks glassy and upright, check on them straight away.

Your role as a teen

• You are old enough to be the 'water watcher' for younger children at a pool or beach. Keep your phone away and your eyes on them.
• For small children, the King County guidance recommends a responsible adult within arm's reach the whole time they are in the water.
• Agree a simple buddy rule with friends: nobody swims alone, and you check on each other every few minutes.
• If you see something wrong, alert a lifeguard immediately. In the UAE, call 999 (police) or 998 (ambulance), as listed on the UAE Government portal.