This is a problem that tends to become “classic” – we talk about it a lot in recent years, usually in early summer, but the situation remains consistently bad. At the same time, no one knows exactly what the problem is. The cause of maritime disasters in Greece, a country with a “monstrous” coastline of 13,676 km.

The statistics for 2022 are again negative. According to a report by the Accident Observatory of the nonprofit Safe Water Sports, in 2022, 386 fatal accidents were recorded – 379 people died at sea, and the remaining 7 died in the country’s inland waterss (lakes, rivers, pools, etc.). The five-year average is 338 deaths in water, while in 2019 – the year the organization considers more significant compared to 2022, since there were restrictions due to the pandemic in 2020 and 2021 – there were 391 corresponding deaths.

Complex lifeguard cover theme

What is surprising at first is that, according to the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy, lifeguard coverage reached 89% last year. Naturally, the question arises: “so what caused the steadily increasing number of maritime accidents?”

In accordance with Panagiotis Paschalakispresident of Safe Water Sports, the problem is multifactorial and needs to be addressed on many levels.

Regarding lifeguard coverage, which is the responsibility of the municipalities, Mr. Paschalakis notes that: “We must make it clear that the percentage reaches 89% in early August or even later. At the beginning of the summer season, the coverage by rescuers is 60%, and during the summer this percentage gradually increases. Many municipalities start the corresponding tenders for the staffing of the beaches in early July, while usually this part should be ready at the end of March. Thus, the timely staffing of lifeguards on behalf of the municipalities remains problematic, while it is extremely important and essential in order to reduce maritime accidents.. In fact, there are areas that systematically remain undiscovered.”

Mayors, again, are of the opposite opinion and give a number of reasons that such staffing is indeed problematic, as they themselves admit.

The problems themselves begin 2020 when and Presidential Decree 71tightened the scope of lifeguard duty on the beaches.

Among the new measures envisaged was the reduction of the distance between the two rescue posts from 200 to 300 meters. Supervisors have also been added, and the required accompanying lifeguard equipment has also been increased, which includes, among others, boats, jet skis, etc. At the same time, the number of beaches that are considered “crowded” and therefore require the presence of lifeguards has increased.

For mayors, the new rules, combined with a large increase in the number of beaches considered “crowded”, are redundant, with the Ministry of Shipping covering about 35% of the total cost, and the rest a huge amount, according to them, to be transferred to the “stressed” OTA budgets.

OUR Dimitris Papastergiou, president of KEDE (Central Union of Greek Municipalities), told K that the main reason for the high cost is that: “Protection by lifeguards is like a cartel – the private companies that provide it pay high rates. In fact, the pandemic, during which lifeguard schools were working with obstacles, also led to a shortage of staff. Especially in areas where rent is very expensive, lifeguards do not work. A typical example is Corfu, where last summer none of the three municipalities, despite procedures and tenders, was staffed with rescuers. As a result, after the drowning on the island, the prosecutor opened a criminal case against the mayor of South Corfu, where the tragic event took place.”

OUR Grigoris Constantellosthe Mayor of Vari-Voula-Vouliagmenis, in turn, notes that the competitions repeatedly considered turned out to be inconclusive. As a result, last year 30 municipalities faced large administrative fines of up to 300,000 euros. What ultimately happened was that many of the fines were lifted when KEDE explained to the relevant ministries why the beaches were left open or partly occupied by people.

In fact, according to Mr. Constantellos, KEDE has already sent comments to the Ministry of Shipping three times and also held a series of meetings with the minister. “In October last year, it was decided to set up a committee with representatives from the ministries of the interior and shipping, as well as KEDE, which I represented, to consider the presidential decree. The committee never met.

Mr. Paschalakis, who has devoted himself entirely to reducing maritime mortality since he himself tragically lost his child in one in 2014, agrees with some of the above comments, stressing, however, that municipalities also bear a large share of the responsibility.

He notes that in the first two years of the implementation of the new AP, the state subsidy to municipalities was 7 million euros, and this year it has increased to 10 million euros for 129 municipalities that must implement life-saving measures. “Next year, this amount will increase even more,” he notes, noting that many municipalities have been “systematically” evading regulations for years, although they have income from the use of the beaches.

He also notes the following: “The fact that schools are private companies for profit is a reality we often see in our country with public works contractors. We need to look into these cases, but we also need the sincere will of the municipalities to implement the AP.”

An equally burdensome lack of education in swimming

The reluctance of local governments to accept all new provisions for the safety of bathers is one side of the issue.

“Rescuers are not the only ones who can save people. This is one measure of many,” explains Mr. Paschalakis, who explains: “Many deaths occur outside of lifeguard hours, usually in the early morning hours when older people prefer to swim. Beach coverage now lasts 8 hours, from 10:00 to 18:00. It is not possible to be on duty on the beaches with lifeguards around the clock.

It is significant that out of 379 fatal accidents in 2022, 292 people were over 60 years old (77%).. It is also noteworthy that in the period from 08:00 to 10:00, the largest number of fatal accidents is recorded (13% in total).

“Therefore, it is vital to educate older people in the perception, culture and consciousness that it is dangerous to swim alone at 07:00 on beaches where there are no lifeguards. If they get dizzy, it is very likely that they will drown if there is no one to help them,” Mr. Paschalakis visibly notes.

As he notes, beaches with swimmers reach approximately 3,500 people in Greece, and about 550 rescuers.

Thus, it becomes clear that 50% of fatal accidents (166) in 2022 were registered on beaches where lifeguards were not provided, and 12% (40) on protected beaches, outside the hours of lifeguards.

According to Mr. Paschalakis, teaching and cultivating safe swimming should start from childhood, which is also practically non-existent in our country.

He emphasizes: “Safe Water Sports is doing its best for this culture through awareness campaigns and visits to KAPI and schools. However, a very important tool that the Ministry of Education announced a year ago, namely a swimming lesson for 3rd and 4th graders in cooperation with local authorities, has been implemented in very few schools.” .