Statistics, omissions, human tragedies, and a detailed record of all that we must be careful about.
He was just 30 years old. He didn't manage to get out of the sea. The enormous waves, a misjudgment, the treacherous currents of the area, swallowed the body of Stefanos, who was found on Kathisma beach in Lefkada with his friends to celebrate his bachelor party, as he was due to get married in a few days.
The tragic incident of 30-year-old Stefanos Kemos in Lefkada highlights, in the most painful way, the dangers lurking on Greek beaches, especially when natural phenomena are combined with the absence of adequate lifeguard coverage.
Stefanos, originally from Trikala, had visited Lefkada to celebrate his bachelor party, ahead of his wedding scheduled for June 14. On the afternoon of Sunday, May 25, he decided to swim at Kathisma beach, an area he knew well and had visited many times before. However, on that day, the weather conditions were particularly adverse, with strong winds and dangerous waves.
As the lifeguard who rushed to the scene told Mega, bathers alerted him to a man who had been swept away by the waves. When he arrived, he found Stefanos unconscious in the water. Despite CPR attempts, it was not possible to revive the 30-year-old, who was handed over to EKAV rescuers shortly after without a pulse.
The lifeguard reported that the phenomenon of "washing machine waves" is often observed on this particular beach, where the wave throws the bather out and, in fractions of a second, pulls them back in. On the day of the accident, the sea was particularly rough, with many Beaufort, making swimming extremely dangerous.
Kathisma is not a "conventional" beach. The depth increases abruptly, just a few meters from the shore. The seabed morphology and exposure to westerly winds create undertows that change unpredictably within minutes. For an inexperienced person – especially for tourists – the risk of being swept away without being able to return is fatal.
Unfortunately, Kathisma has a history of similar incidents. On June 17, 2023, a 50-year-old man lost his life when he was swept away by waves while trying to take a photo with his wife at the edge of the beach. The huge waves swept them away, resulting in the man drowning.
Drownings on Greek beaches are a systematic cause of death every summer. And yet, they continue to be treated as "accidents."
The silent epidemic of drownings
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 236,000 people die from drowning every year, with most victims being children aged 5-14 and the elderly. July 25 has been established as World Drowning Prevention Day, in an effort to give at least minimal attention to a problem that kills silently.
Greece has the 9th largest coastline in the world, with 13,676 km of sea, thousands of beaches, hundreds of islands, and more than 30 million tourists annually. And yet, drowning remains one of the main out-of-hospital causes of death in our country, according to data from ELSTAT and the Hellenic Coast Guard.
According to the most recent available data, in 2023, 407 deaths from drowning were recorded in Greece, of which 400 occurred in the sea and the remaining 7 in internal waters, such as lakes and rivers. Of these, 71% (288 people) were men and 29% (116 people) were women. The majority of victims were over 60 years old, while approximately 10 children and adolescents lose their lives to drowning each year in Greece.
It is noteworthy that 62% of drowning deaths occur on beaches without lifeguard coverage, a fact that underlines the importance of lifeguard presence in preventing such tragedies.
The Ionian islands with hidden dangers
In the Ionian islands – from Corfu to Zakynthos, Kefalonia, and Lefkada – dozens of drowning incidents are recorded every summer. Tourist flows are enormous, the beaches are impressive, but in many cases not at all safe.
In Kefalonia, Myrtos and Platis Gialos beaches are wonderful but unpredictable. In Corfu, the Canal d'Amour and Issos beach hide strong currents and steep depths. In Zakynthos, Navagio has repeatedly caused deaths due to falls and drownings.
And of course, in Lefkada – Kathisma.
Delayed drowning: the "invisible" enemy
Another, less known but real threat is drowning on land, or secondary drowning. This is an extremely rare phenomenon (1-2% of drowning incidents), in which the victim experiences complications up to 24 hours after diving.
Water entering the airways causes laryngospasm or neurogenic pulmonary edema, with symptoms such as:
- wheezing and difficulty breathing
- foam in the mouth
- drowsiness or lethargy
- bluish discoloration or persistent cough
The delay in symptoms makes diagnosis difficult. If there is no immediate medical intervention, sudden death can occur.
Who is most at risk?
The most vulnerable groups are:
- Elderly, due to cardiac/respiratory problems
- Children, due to less supervision and physical weakness
- Men, who are statistically more often recorded as victims
- Tourists, who are unaware of the local terrain and often swim without supervision
Life-saving preventive rules
For everyone:
- Never alone in the sea
- Not after alcohol or a heavy meal
- Always check weather and currents
- Do not overestimate your abilities
For children:
- Always supervise from close proximity
- Use life jacket
- Basic training in swimming and self-rescue
For the elderly:
- Do not swim without an escort
- Medical advice if there is a history
- Short duration, mild hours
What can and must change
- Universal presence of lifeguards on all crowded beaches
- Information campaigns for tourists, schools, and media
- Sea safety lessons in schools
- Special signage for beaches with currents or steep depths
- Use of technology (e.g., apps for weather conditions, QR codes for safety information)
Why every drowning is preventable
There is nothing "accidental" about a drowning. Every drowning is not just a numerical record; it is a face, a story, a family plunged into grief. Often, the responsibility is not individual. When municipalities do not provide lifeguards, when there are no informative signs, when the state leaves local communities without support, then death at sea becomes a collective issue. These are not accidents – these are foretold events that recur every summer. As long as they remain "invisible," they will continue to kill.