Man drowns on Malaga beach as statistics show Andalucia sees almost 20% of all drownings in Spain

NEW statistics have shown Andalucia has seen almost 20% of all drownings in Spain this year.

It comes after a 56-year-old man drowned yesterday morning in the beach of La Misericordia.

The man was discovered by a boy near the El Espigón chiringuito at around 10am.

Emergency services were called immediately, but the bather died at the scene.

The National Drowning Report, prepared by the Royal Spanish Federation of Rescue and Relief, has now once again labelled Andalucia as the region with the highest number of deaths due to drowning.

Between July 15 2016 to July 15 of this year, 45 people have drowned in the region, 18.3% of the total 246 in Spain during the same period.

According to the report published yesterday, the 45 deaths exceeded the figures for 2015, when there were 23 deaths, and 2016, when there were 39.

The majority of registered victims in Andalucia were men (84%), Spanish nationals (78%), and between 45 and 54 years (20%).