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The RNLI lifeboat service is launching a major national water safety campaign, as figures show an average of 59 people die in Irish waters each year.
That, the charity says, is more than the number of pedestrians and cyclists which die on Irish roads.
The safety campaign, titled 'Respect the Water', is part of RNLI's attempt to cut the number of coastal deaths in half in the next nine years.
A series of adverts will run in cinemas, one of which will ask audience members to hold their breath while the subject of the video drowns –
The second, 'Dangerously Unpredictable', highlights the dangers of the water in a much more direct way - trying to educate viewers about the dangers of seemingly safe waters.
Cold water shock, for example, can cause uncontrollable gasping "which can draw water into the lungs and lead to drowning", and it can also stop limbs from working effectively. While it may be warm on land, cold water shock can happen at any temperature below 15C - and seas, on average, are just 12C in summer.
The charity is also warning of "rips" – the strong currents under the surface which can pull swimmers, quickly and predictably, out of their depth. RNLI says they are responsible for two-thirds of their response for "environmental" incidents - and warns they can easily be fatal if there's no lifeguard on duty at a beach.
‘The water might look inviting, but it can be dangerously unpredictable, with hazards which can be fatal if not respected," said Joe Moore, Ireland's Coastal Safety Manager at the RNLI.
"We want people to enjoy the water but to make sure they respect it. On average 59 lives are lost around the coast of the Republic of Ireland each year but many of these losses could be avoided if people acknowledge the dangers and follow some basic safety advice."
The campaign will run for the remainder of the summer in cinemas, on radio, in outdoor advertising, and online at http://www.rnli.org/respectthewater.
