210 people have drowned in Poland since April 1, with 61 in July alone - Polish rescue services informed on Monday (August 1). The rescuers caution tourists to remember about the basic safety rules when spending time by the water. According to a WOPR (Voluntary Water Rescue Service) lifeguard, a vast majority of interventions take place on unguarded beaches.
On Sunday, WOPR (Voluntary Water Rescue Service) lifeguards received a call about a 53-year-old man drowning at a beach in Sarbinowo (West Pomeranian Voivodeship). Upon arriving at the scene, the lifeguards immediately took the man out of the water. He suffered from circulatory arrest but the rescuers managed to rescitate him and he was then taken to a hospital.
There were no lifeguards at the beach were the 53-year-old was drowning. Lifeguard from Międzyzdroje Michał majewski says that accidents happen mainly on unguarded areas.
"All our interventions take place on unguarded beaches. All serious accidents that happened took place on unguarded beaches, with no protection and no lifeguards," Majewski said.
According to the Police Main Headquarters' statistics, 61 people drowned in July, and 210 since April 1.
Last year was not better. In 2021, 408 people drowned in Poland, a vast majority of which were men, and only 40 women. 78 of those who drowned last year were under the influence of alcohol.
Basic safety rules
Each year, the Government Information Centre reminds tourists about safety rules that they should follow when spending time by the water.
Below are just a few basic things to keep in mind:
- swim only in designated places,
- never jump into the water in undesignated places,
- do not go into the water under the influence of alcohol or drugs,
- do not run into the water straight after sunbathing.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, TVN24
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