Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: Drishti Marine lifesavers rescued 24 people from drowning and administered first aid in five jellyfish sting cases across Goa’s beaches during the Christmas weekend, a period that traditionally witnesses a sharp rise in tourist footfall and water-related incidents.
According to an incident report issued on December 29, lifesavers carried out a total of eight single rescues, three double rescues and two multiple rescues over the weekend, in addition to tracing missing children and assisting injured beachgoers.
At Mandrem beach, a 33-year-old tourist from Hyderabad was rescued after facing difficulty while swimming, while at Ashwem beach, two tourists from Punjab, aged 47 and 15, were jointly rescued after drifting about 100 metres offshore. Multiple rescue operations were also reported at Morjim beach, where groups of tourists from Karnataka and Hyderabad were saved from rip currents, and a missing four-year-old boy from Maharashtra was traced and reunited with his family.
At Anjuna beach, a 43-year-old tourist from Mumbai sustained a leg injury after being hit by a strong wave and was provided first aid. Baga beach witnessed several incidents, including the rescue of six tourists—five Indians and a woman from Kazakhstan—from unsafe waters, along with separate rescues of tourists from Maharashtra and Pune. Two missing children, aged 11 from Hyderabad and seven from Hyderabad at Calangute beach, were traced and safely reunited with their families.
Rescue operations were also carried out at Calangute, Utorda, Majorda, Benaulim, Patnem and Palolem beaches, involving tourists from Bengaluru, Mumbai, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. At Palolem, a kayaking incident around 500 metres offshore was handled swiftly by a jet ski team, while two tourists were treated for injuries after slipping on rocks.
Five cases of jellyfish stings were reported at Baina, Bogmalo, Colva and Palolem beaches, affecting tourists and local swimmers, including children. In all cases, Drishti Marine lifesavers administered first aid and handed over the victims to their families once stable.
Drishti Marine reiterated the importance of adhering to lifesaver warnings and swimming only in designated safe zones, especially during peak tourist seasons when sea conditions can change rapidly.
