Overview
- A cluster of drownings over the weekend has left at least 13 people dead nationwide, and officials say several victims were adolescents.
- In Besançon two children died after swimming near the Micaud dam in the Doubs where bathing is banned and one boy reportedly tried to rescue the other before both were pulled under.
- Separate fatal incidents were reported in Dunkerque, the Dordogne, Poitiers and multiple sites in Seine‑et‑Marne, with some victims rescued from forbidden or unsupervised waters and others recovered after searches.
- The Sécurité civile and local authorities have opened inquiries in several locations, deployed psychological support for families and witnesses, and warned people not to attempt risky rescues but to call emergency services.
- Météo‑France has issued widespread red heat alerts, and rescue teams say high temperatures increase informal bathing, raise risks such as strong currents and hydrocution, and make use of lifeguarded sites crucial to prevent more deaths.