At least 261 people have drowned in German waterways in the first seven months of 2026, marking a rise of 15 compared to the same period last year. June alone saw more than 100 fatalities — a threshold not crossed since 2003. The victims were predominantly male, with men accounting for 85 percent of all drownings nationwide, and the figure climbing to 95 percent among those aged 11 to 30.
The northern states have seen a sharp increase. In Schleswig-Holstein, 16 people have drowned since January, nearly double the nine deaths recorded in all of 2025, with ten of the fatalities occurring in June and July. Hamburg has recorded six drowning deaths — three in rivers, two in lakes and one in a stream — compared to eight throughout 2025. Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia accounted for the highest numbers nationally.