Campaigners have warned people to take care if they cool off from soaring temperatures in open water - as figures show almost 300 people have drowned in the last five years. Last week’s record-breaking heatwave - with temperatures hitting 40C in England for the first time in history - saw many people visiting coastal areas, lakes, and rivers seeking solace from the sun.
But that led to a spate of tragedies around the country - and on Tuesday of last week, it was announced that 13 people had died in open water since the start of the heatwave. Figures from the Office of National Statistics show 277 people lost their lives in accidents in the water in the UK in 2021, up from 254 the previous year and 233 in 2019.
A team of international scientists has now found that the heat wave was made stronger and more likely by the buildup of heat-trapping gases from the burning of coal, oil, and natural gas. Similar heatwaves are now far more likely in the future, they believe.
