14% increase in assistance and rescue operations in the Mediterranean
An increase in the number of visitors to the Mediterranean basin means an increase in the number of users of the sea, whether for pleasure boating (sailing and motorboats) or for water sports (swimming, diving, personal watercraft, etc.). While CROSS MED - in charge of rescue and assistance operations in the Mediterranean - had already seen a 21% increase in its activity in the summer of 2020, this year is proving to be even more complicated.
Between June 1 and July 21, 2021, nearly 1,300 rescue operations were recorded, 50% of which were for assistance reasons and 40% for rescue reasons. An increase of 14% compared to the previous year. In Corsica, the increase is 50%.
The cause is the inexperience of the users of the sea or carelessness. Most of the interventions could have been avoided by a better preparation or by not overestimating its capacities and experience explains the Premar.
In 2020, 23 people had lost their lives in the Mediterranean, we already deplore 12 deaths for this summer, including 4 swimmers and 7 divers (snorkeling and scuba).
In addition to these accidents, many violations have been observed, particularly in the 300-meter strip (excessive speed, driving without a license, failure to respect certain zones, etc.). As a reminder, this zone is forbidden to the practice of nautical activities and reserved exclusively for bathers.
Follow a safety protocol
In order to ensure that nautical practices remain a pleasure for all, the Mediterranean Maritime Prefecture reminds us of a few precautionary principles, applicable to all, for all types of activities, "PEA, life insurance at sea":
- Prepare: know the weather, the particularities of the area, be aware of your health and that of your passengers, inform a relative of your intentions and the time of your return;
- Equip : check your equipment, wear a life jacket and a suitable outfit, have a means of communication in working order, and be able to be spotted at night (flashlight, cyalume, etc.);
- Alert: in case of difficulty : VHF16 and the emergency number 196 from any telephone to reach the emergency services (this number is valid everywhere in France).
At the same time, safety operations at sea will be organized by the departmental directorates of territories and the sea of all the departments of the coastline, under the authority of the Maritime Prefect of the Mediterranean.
