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Lorca lifeguards deliver safe summer despite unpredictable seas and shark sighting
Eighty-three successful interventions highlight teamwork amid challenging beach conditions
This summer’s rescue and surveillance plan on Lorca’s beaches wrapped up with a total of 83 lifeguard interventions between Saturday June 21 and Saturday August 31, according to the latest review by Mayor Fulgencio Gil. That’s 19 fewer rescues compared to last year, even though beachgoers faced notably unstable sea conditions and a dramatic moment when a blue shark appeared near Calnegre cove, causing swimming to be banned for one day.Of the 83 incidents, most took place at Puntas de Calnegre, which saw 64 callouts, while the Coy river beach recorded 19. The 15-member rescue squad; equipped with two all-terrain vehicles, a quad bike, an ambulance, two boats and a jet ski, provided dynamic coverage along the coastline between Águilas and Mazarrón.
Mayor Gil noted that the red flag was raised on eight separate days this summer, flagging dangerous conditions and, in one case, the blue shark sighting off Calnegre Cove. There were 18 days marked by the yellow flag, warning swimmers to be cautious in the water.
Breaking down the cases: 64 assists came in across the beaches, including four for people needing rescue from the water, 14 due to marine animal stings, and 15 wound treatments. Sixteen instances involved social assistance – with bathing support for disabled beachgoers using amphibious chairs. Three rescues involved boats, and there was one incident of a vehicle needing help after getting stuck in the sand. Lifeguards also responded to two health emergencies on beach bar terraces, dealing with heat exhaustion and an epileptic seizure.
Three people required ambulance transport to a health centre, all provided by the Murcian Health Service assigned to the beach rescue team for July and August. At Coy river beach, lifeguards stepped in to treat six wasp stings and 13 minor wounds.
High occupancy on the beaches meant lifeguards and support staff were working flat out, and the mayor expressed regret over the death of a diver outside staffed hours, urging everyone to “always visit beaches with lifeguards.” He praised the summer operation, calling the municipal Emergency Service team’s work “professionalism, commitment, and dedication to citizens and visitors.”
Image: PETE CHACALOS/Pixabay
