Between January and September 15, 60 people died in fatal water accidents, the Swiss Lifesaving Society (SSS) saidExternal link on October 28. This compares with 36 drownings in 2021.
Around 80% of this year’s fatalities were men. Over 60% of the drownings occurred on lakes and almost 40% in rivers.
“Continued high temperatures this year have certainly drawn more people to the lake shores and to the waters, increasing the likelihood of drownings,” the SSS said in a statement.
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Men at higher risk of drowning in Swiss rivers
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The drowning of the son of an Indonesian politician has sparked international dismay and criticism against river swimming in Switzerland.
This year around 20 victims were aged between 70 and 85. The society said that while the causes of death cannot be clearly determined, it is assumed the victims “underestimated the dangers”.
This year the death of Emmeril Mumtadz, the son of a top Indonesian politician who drowned in the river Aare in Bern in May, sparked international dismay and criticism against river swimming in Switzerland.
In 2019, more than 236,000 people drowned worldwide which makes death in water one of the biggest public health problems in the world. Drowning is one of the top ten causes of death for people aged one to 24 across the globe.
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The rise of urban swimming in Swiss cities
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‘Swim CityExternal link‘ also looks at contemporary river-swimming projects from Europe and the US, such as ‘Flussbad’ in Berlin, ‘POOL IS COOL’ from Brussels, ‘Thames Baths’ in London, ‘Ilot Vert’ in Paris, ‘Charles River Swimming Initiative’ in Boston and ‘+POOL’ in New York. (S AM Swiss Architecture Museum)
Media: Swiss medical services done abroad are billed at Swiss rates
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In Switzerland, some medical services carried out abroad are still billed at Swiss rates, despite costing less, RTS reports.
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Sophie Hediger, a member of the Swiss national snowboard cross team, has died in an avalanche in Arosa. She was 26 years old.
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Several Swiss films exceeded the 100,000 admissions mark worldwide in 2024 and received widespread praise at international film festivals.
Swiss Alpine resorts covered in white gold for Christmas
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Many areas at low altitudes in Switzerland are enjoying a blanket of snow. In the mountains, intense precipitation has delighted skiers.
SWISS makes emergency landing in Austria after smoke in cockpit
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Swiss International Airlines (SWISS) made an emergency landing of an Airbus in Graz, Austria on Monday evening after engine problems.
L’Oréal acquires South Korean subsidiary of Migros’ cosmetics brand
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French cosmetics firm L'Oréal is acquiring Gowoonsesang Cosmetics, the South Korean subsidiary of the Migros-owned Mibelle group, for an undisclosed sum.
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The drowning of the son of an Indonesian politician has sparked international dismay and criticism against river swimming in Switzerland.
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‘Swim CityExternal link‘ also looks at contemporary river-swimming projects from Europe and the US, such as ‘Flussbad’ in Berlin, ‘POOL IS COOL’ from Brussels, ‘Thames Baths’ in London, ‘Ilot Vert’ in Paris, ‘Charles River Swimming Initiative’ in Boston and ‘+POOL’ in New York. (S AM Swiss Architecture Museum)
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Swimming in rivers has become increasingly popular in Switzerland. But the trend means more swimmers are being saved from drowning. Over the last 20 years, rescue operations on the Rhine in Basel have steadily increased. Now a patrol cruises the Rhine for ten hours every day in summer. Fire brigades, border control and the police…
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