Germany records nearly 100 drowning deaths, many of them young men, in June heatwave

Authorities confirm worst toll in more than 20 years, as extreme temperatures in Europe force early closure of Eiffel Tower Nearly 100 people, the largest proportion of whom were young men, died by drowning in Germany last month, authorities have said, as extreme temperatures in western Europe that have been blamed for hundreds of excess deaths geared up again. In Germany’s worst death toll from drowning for more than two decades, 99 people died in June, according to official figures, after temperatures rose as high as 41.7C (107.1F) in some areas. The victims were largely young men, the federation said, with 40 of them under 30 years old – the biggest group among those whose ages were known. More than 90% were male. Germany’s lifeguarding federation said in a statement that the country “had not registered this many drownings since the heatwave of June 2003, when 107 people died”. More than 1,300 people across Europe died in the blazing start to the summer, according to the World Health Organization. Deaths by drowning have risen across the continent, with France’s sports minister, Marina Ferrari, ​saying on Friday it was the cause of death of 131 people ​there since 19 June. Last