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Greece records an average of 357 drowning deaths every year among people swimming for sport or leisure, according to data from the country's National Public Health Organization (EODY).
The figures, covering the past five years, refer to deaths that occurred while people were swimming in the sea or in other bodies of water for recreational purposes.
The data points to drowning as a recurring public safety concern in a country where swimming is a common leisure activity.
According to EODY, men make up 70% of those who lose their lives in swimming-related drownings.
The risk is also concentrated among older age groups, as 81% of those who died were aged 60 or above. The figures show that elderly swimmers make up the clear majority of drowning victims recorded in Greece over the five-year period.
EODY issued a warning aimed at preventing drowning deaths and called on people to follow basic safety measures before entering the water.
The organization advised citizens not to swim alone, to swim parallel to the coastline, to avoid entering the water immediately after eating, and not to swim after drinking alcohol.
The warning comes as Greece continues to record hundreds of swimming-related drowning deaths each year, with older adults and men making up most of the victims.
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