In France over the weekend, dozens of vacationers found themselves in danger due to strong underwater currents along the coast of the Bay of Biscay. According to the authorities of the Gironde department, two people died, and dozens more were rescued.
Tragic incidents occurred on the beaches of Lacanau and Lege-Cap-Ferret. Rescuers were unable to assist a 54-year-old tourist from Germany and a man around 60 years old. However, the spouse of one of the deceased was successfully pulled from the water alive.
According to local media, the cause of the incidents was dangerous tidal depressions and strong currents that arise during low tide. Such areas are almost invisible from the surface and can suddenly pull swimmers into the sea, reports NOS.
Since Friday, 31 people have found themselves in dangerous situations in the water in the region. Authorities note that the situation has been exacerbated by unusually early heat. Due to high temperatures, thousands of people flocked to the beaches, even though in many resort areas the lifeguard season has not yet begun.
Local authorities have urged vacationers to swim only in designated safe areas.
Rescuers remind: if a person is carried away by a current, it is not advisable to swim directly to the shore against the water — it is better to move parallel to the shoreline until the current weakens.
In the opinion of the editorial team, the series of incidents on French beaches has once again highlighted the danger of hidden sea currents, especially during periods of heat and the beginning of the tourist season. Authorities are intensifying warnings for vacationers and asking them to exercise maximum caution while swimming.
