Sebastián Quintana fills Salto's Aula Magna for a drowning-prevention session
1. Key points
The session took place in Salto's Aula Magna before health staff, rescue services, security forces and the public.
Worldwide, drowning causes about 70 deaths every hour, with a heavy toll on children and young people.
Uruguay records 189 deaths over five years and is debating a pioneering prevention law.
2. The news in detail
The Mesa Interinstitucional de Prevención de Ahogamiento organised the event with the Dirección Departamental de Salud, the Salto government and EcoVida Aventura. Quintana, president of Asociación Canarias 1500 Km de Costa, focused on global and local figures and on training people who work around water.
Speakers who opened the day included mayor Carlos Albisu, port prefect Cristian Fagián, departmental health director Luis Rodríguez, sports official Marcelo García da Rosa and Julio Texeira of Escuela Náutica EcoVida Aventura.
In Uruguay drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury death under the age of five and the second under ten. The speaker highlighted a bill before parliament that would embed prevention as a specific public-health policy.
3. Voices and statements
A Uruguayan prevention law would place the country among international regulatory references, according to the analysis set out in Salto.
4. When, where and how to attend
The conference took place on Tuesday 15 September 2026 in the Aula Magna of the Universidad de la República in Salto, Uruguay. The South American tour, backed with RISAN and EcoVida Aventura, continues with further safety and rescue activity on the Uruguay River involving specialists from Uruguay, Argentina, Chile and Spain.
5. What it means for Fuerteventura
For Fuerteventura, an island with an extensive coastline, the message reinforces the water-safety culture the Canary association also promotes across the archipelago. More local coverage on Fuerteventura TV.
