Experts claim that bigger currents caused by the wind along with people ignoring the flags have helped increase the number of dangerous situations. The statistics don’t lie; 77% of the drownings occurred when the lifeguards were off duty. A man that died in Carichuela Beach went into the water at approximately 10 am, one hour before lifeguards were due to start working. Even though the attempted rescues have been mostly successful, emergency services insist that people need to get educated about the dangers of the ocean. A surfer that pulled out a father and his two children emphasized the need for respecting flags, saying that ignoring them not only endangers them but also their rescuers. The Spanish Federation of Lifeguarding reminds beachgoers that it is only safe to go into the water when flags are green.
