In Estonia, men account for nearly 90 percent of drowning victims. Head of Prevention Services at the Rescue Board's Prevention Department Kristina Eesmets said men tend to be more reckless and overestimate their abilities.

Last year, more than 60 percent of those who drowned were intoxicated, with some having a blood alcohol level exceeding 2.5 per mille. "It is very difficult for a person to survive in the water with that level of intoxication," she added.

This summer, there have been instances where adults swam too boldly past the buoys and needed to be rescued. The Rescue Board has been called out three times this year to search for people who went missing while using a stand-up paddle board.

The agency has also recorded three cases of a child going missing at the beach. All the kids were found, and none were in danger of drowning.

There have been 11 cases in which the Rescue Board has saved people from drowning. Most drownings occur in inland waters such as lakes, rivers, and bodies of water close to home, like ditches. This summer, one person has drowned in the sea.

Eesmets said that if an intoxicated person wants to go swimming, they should be stopped. If it is not possible to stop the drunk person, then the emergency services should be called.

This year, spring was significantly more tragic than summer, as several fishermen drowned after venturing onto the ice during volatile weather in March. The Rescue Board's data shows that there were seven drowning deaths in March.

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