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Children in Bangladesh playing by pond without adult supervision

The global drowning problem

Around 300,000 people drown worldwide every year. It is a staggering number, yet this global problem isn’t receiving the serious attention it needs.

300,000 people drown worldwide each year

90% drown in low or middle-income countries

Every other minute, a person drowns

In many parts of Asia, drowning is now a leading killer of children over the age of 1. In Bangladesh, for example, 40 children drown every day. Over 90% of drownings happen in Africa and Asia - the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that drowning rates in Sub-Saharan Africa are 10 times higher than in the UK.

A fisherman casts his net on a river in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Photo: Mike Lavis

A fisherman working on a river in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Why are so many deaths unaccounted for?

The WHO estimates that around 300,000 people drown worldwide each year, but this is a conservative estimate because:

  • people drown in lakes, rivers, ponds and oceans - not hospitals - making formal reporting of these deaths rare.
  • it doesn’t include deaths from transport accidents such as ferries sinking, natural disasters like floods, or migrants lost as they cross open water - tragedies that kill thousands each year.
Girls travelling to school by boat in Bangladesh

Photo: GMB Akash

Girls in Bangladesh travel to school by boat: children exposed to open water in their daily lives face a higher risk of drowning

What factors make people more at risk?

Over 90% of drownings happen in low and middle-income countries, some of them lacking basic water safety education and services. Critically, people are far more exposed to open water, as they often have to rely on ponds and lakes for daily tasks like washing and bathing. So tragedies often hit frighteningly close to home - in Bangladesh most drownings of children under 5 occur within 20 metres of where they live.

Child having a swimming lesson in Bangladesh

What is the RNLI doing about it?

Whether it’s 300,000 or a figure much higher, many who work in development - from NGOs to national governments and UN agencies - are largely unaware of these statistics. We think it’s time this changed. We are working in partnership with other lifesaving and development organisations to raise awareness and find strategies that will make a difference.

Discover more

Swimming lessons being taught in Bangladesh by our partner
Why we want to end drowning worldwide
The scale of the global drowning problem is a human disaster too big for us to ignore.
THE RNLI’S APPROACH
A young boy plays with a wheel in front of a body of water at dusk in rural Bangladesh
World Drowning Prevention Day
The RNLI won’t stand by while anyone, anywhere, drowns.
Learn more
Reflections, brother and sister, Reshma (8) and Ridoy (9) are fishing on floodwaters in Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh after a monsoon.
Where we're working
Around 300,000 people drown every year, making this a killer that affects every country to some degree.
SEE THE COUNTRIES
A lifeguard teaching water safety to a class of girls in Bangladesh
International resources
Lifesavers worldwide can download free guides to help develop their own services.
Get the resources
An Aquatic Survival trainer teaches children in the sea on Zanzibar
Lifesaving interventions
With the causes of drowning varying widely, there is no single solution.
saving lives internationally
Swimming lessons taking place in Tanzania by our partner
Our international partners
We can’t take on drowning alone - and we don’t have to. We’re working with a committed and diverse group of organisations to reach more people and save more lives worldwide.
WHO WE WORK WITH
A child learning to swim in the sea on Zanzibar
International funding
The international drowning problem is vast, but we know that simple, inexpensive solutions are very effective. A small amount spent on overseas projects can change countless lives.
HOW WE’RE FUNDED