At least six children drowned and more than two dozen others were injured during a school trip to a beach in Egypt.
Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) confirmed that the tragedy occurred on Saturday, Aug. 23, during a school outing organized by an aviation hospitality academy to Abu Talat beach in Alexandria, according to Roya News, Ahram Online, and News of Bahrain.
Authorities said 16 ambulances were immediately dispatched to the scene. Several students received treatment on site, while 21 others were transported to nearby hospitals. Thirteen were taken to Agami Specialized Hospital and eight to Al-Amreya General Hospital. All were treated for drowning-related asphyxia and placed under the care of specialized medical teams, per Roya News and Ahram Online.
The exact cause of the incident remains unclear. However, Alexandria officials have since ordered the beach closed and raised red-flag warnings to alert the public of dangerous sea conditions where swimming is prohibited, according to Identity Magazine.
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Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, Egypt’s health minister, said he was closely monitoring the situation and emphasized that families affected by the tragedy would receive full support from the health ministry.
In the aftermath, the MoHP urged the public to strictly follow beach safety rules, particularly during group trips, stressing that prevention remains the most effective way to protect lives, per Roya News.
According to Ahram Online, drowning incidents in Egypt frequently rise during the summer months, especially along the Mediterranean coast, where rough waves and hazardous currents pose greater risks.
Globally, around 300,000 people die from drowning every year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Children are particularly vulnerable, with those under age 5 making up nearly a quarter of all drowning deaths. The WHO also reports that drowning is the fourth leading cause of death among children aged 1–4 and the third leading cause of death for children aged 5–14.
