Almost 50% of all drownings due to suicide

SUICIDE accounts for almost half of all people who die by drowning in the Republic, according to the latest figures published by Irish Water Safety.

The 2006 annual report of the IWS shows 63 out of 131 confirmed drownings last year were due to people taking their own lives.

While the figure is the same total as 2005, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of females taking their own lives.

A total of 29 women committed suicide by drowning in 2006, compared with 15 in 2005.

However, there was also a notable decline in the number of male suicides by drowning — down from 48 in 2005 to 34 last year.

Overall, last year’s total of 131 drownings is the same as in 2005 with 53 accidental deaths and 15 due to an undetermined cause.

The highest number of drownings occurred in Cork (31) followed by Dublin (20) and Galway and Mayo (eight each). So far in 2007, there have been 19 confirmed drownings.

Irish Water Safety chairman Frank J Nolan said the organisation was still striving to reduce the number of drownings each year, but added that these are at their lowest level in more than 40 years.

Mr Nolan said he was very concerned at the number of drownings involving non-nationals and the number of fatalities involving commercial fishermen.

Fatalities involving non-nationals prompted several IWS warnings last year about the dangers of fishing off rocks.

Yesterday, the IWS also highlighted its new publication 14 Steps to Safe Swimming”. Advice includes:

* Don’t swim alone.

* Swim where lifeguards are on duty and parallel to the shore.

* Wear a lifejacket or personal flotation device on boats.

* Don’t swim after eating or when tired.

* Avoid inflatable toys.