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Non-intentional drowning incidents remain a leading cause of mortality in Turkey as well as all over the world. A following related secondary syndrome is composed of those who drown during altruistic attempts to rescue a drowning person. Such 'rescuers' who attempt to rescue a drowning person, may themselves drown, resulting in a tragic multiple death. This study covers the year 2009, and necessary data was found by using internet search engines to identify cases in which a potential rescue attempt resulted with the rescuer's fatal drowning. Thirty-one 'rescuers' and 20 primary drowning victims (PDV) drowned in 28 incidents in which 80% of drowned primary victims (DPV) were children, and 48.4% of the 'rescuers' were children. In 48.4% of the 'rescuers' succeeded in rescuing the PDV's life. Out of them, 38.7% of the 'rescuers' and PDVs were friends/colleagues. The aim of this study is to define and examine multiple drowning syndromes (MDSs) and to suggest preventative measures. An increased awareness of such risks as promotion of swimming and rescue skills could help reducing the MDSs.

The aim of this study is to find the numbers of deaths by drowning incidents by using online search engines and online newspaper reports for all age groups covering five years (2007-2011) in Turkey, in order to conduct a population-based study for the first time in Turkey and to identify the risk factors associated with deaths from drowning. This is a web-based, descriptive, retrospective study on the deaths caused by unintentional drowning incidents. In the period of the study, 3216 persons died from drowning in Turkey; 84.0% (2703 persons) were males, and 16.0% (513 persons) were females. Death rates from drowning in overall years were 0.89; 1.44 for males, and 0.28 for females per 100,000. For persons aged between 10-19 years, the death rate was the highest with 1.76 deaths per 100,000 people. The drowning rate in provinces and districts (1.01 per 100,000) was almost twice than that in towns and villages (0.53 per 100,000) and 75.7% of all deaths were in natural water environments such as fresh/still water, and the sea. As the first population-based study on drowning, this study presents vital information to build preventative strategies and policies against drowning incidents, which threaten public health in Turkey.

Drowning is a public-health threat and a leading cause of injury-related death. In Turkey, drowning results in 900 fatalities annually, and the rate is rising. As data on rescue-related drowning are scarce, this retrospective study explores the epidemiology of fatal drowning among rescuers in Turkey. As there are no routinely collected death registry data on drowning in Turkey, data were sourced from media reports of incidents between 2015 and 2019. Rescuer fatalities were analysed by age, sex, activity prior to rescue, location, incident day of week and season, and place of death. Statistical analyses comprised X2 tests of significance (p < 0.05) and calculation of relative risk (95% confidence interval) using fatality rates. In total, 237 bystander rescuers drowned (90% male; 35% 15–24 years). In 33% of cases, the primary drowning victim (PDV) was successfully rescued, while in 46% of cases the rescue resulted in multiple drowning fatalities (mean = 2.29; range 1–5 rescuers). Rescues were more likely to be successful in saving the PDV if undertaken at the beach/sea (X2 = 29.147; p < 0.001), while swimming (X2 = 12.504; p = 0.001), or during summer (X2 = 8.223; p = 0.029). Risk of bystander rescue-related fatal drowning was twice as high on weekdays compared to on weekends (RR = 2.04; 95%CI: 1.56–2.67). While bystanders play an important role in reducing drowning, undertaking a rescue is not without risk and can lead to multiple drowning incidents. Training in rescue and resuscitation skills (especially the prioritization of non-contact rescues) coupled with increasing awareness of drowning risk, are risk-reduction strategies which should be explored in Turkey.