Coastguard rescuers in Western Flanders, IKWV, have reported an increase in the number of severe incidents in Summer 2024.
Initially, the season was quiet due to the prevailing poor weather. However, “despite the calm start, the sudden change in weather conditions attracted more people to the coast, resulting in more incidents,” IKWV representative An Beun explained.
Over a hundred serious incidents required responder intervention. Aside from medical emergencies and cases of watersport enthusiasts experiencing major equipment issues, lifeguards frequently assisted distressed swimmers. Although most rescues ended positively, a few swimmers tragically lost their lives, including a young man swimming in Ostend under supervision.
“We were routinely alerted to incidents occurring outside lifeguard service hours,” An Beun added. In these instances, other emergency services took over.
“It should be clear that swimming in a supervised area during service hours is crucial for receiving prompt help. Several persons who swam outside lifeguard service hours weren’t so fortunate, with fatalities occurring in Ostend in July and Blankenberge in August," the IKWV representative said.
Finally, the IKWV documented an increase in lost-person cases compared to last summer, with 1,078 reported in July and August alone. The majority of these cases involved children aged 4 to 8 years.
