“The sea is beautiful, but it is also dangerous — as 11 UK warm weather drowning deaths show, open water swimming safety must never be taken for granted”
Last week, I received a phone call from my best friend while she was away in Spain celebrating a friend’s birthday. When her name appeared on my screen, I assumed she was ringing to vent about some holiday drama – perhaps a falling-out within the group or a disappointing night out.
I couldn’t have been more wrong. She told me she had come terrifyingly close to drowning in the sea at Grandes Playas in Corralejo.
What’s more, she had also pulled one of her closest friends back from the brink of drowning too. I was absolutely shaken to the core.
Even now, the thought of my best friend being in that situation is difficult to get my head around. She described the harrowing reality of what unfolded.
One moment she was happily enjoying the water, the next she was being dragged under by a powerful force she had no control over. Despite being a strong swimmer, she was unable to keep herself above the surface, I wrote for the Daily Star.
Every effort to stay afloat felt utterly hopeless as she swallowed mouthful after mouthful of seawater. Then she glanced back and spotted her friend struggling even more desperately. Her friend was clearly in serious distress, reaching out towards her as panic took hold.
In that split second, my best friend had to make a snap decision. Despite fighting for her own survival, she turned back. Somehow, she managed to grab her friend and bring them both safely back to shore. It’s difficult to fathom the bravery that must have required.
What makes the incident even more alarming is what followed. Despite appealing for help from lifeguards, nobody arrived to aid them.
They were left to cope with one of the most distressing experiences of their lives entirely on their own. There had been no clear warning signs before they went into the water. The conditions didn’t seem hazardous.
My friend is an experienced swimmer. Yet none of that counted when the sea turned against them. And that’s precisely why this account is so important.
In recent years, we’ve witnessed far too many tragedies across the UK involving people getting into trouble in the water – there have been at least 11 deaths in the recent warm weather alone. Every summer delivers devastating headlines of lives lost at beaches, rivers and coastal beauty spots.
Too frequently, people presume these incidents only affect weak swimmers, children or those taking chances. The truth is quite different. The sea doesn’t care how confident you are. It doesn’t care how fit you are.
It doesn’t care how many times you’ve swum before. It’s unpredictable, formidable and capable of overpowering even the strongest swimmers within seconds. I’m incredibly thankful that my best friend is still here. Her actions also reminded me precisely why she is my best friend.
She’s the sort of person who would turn back for anyone in need. Yet there is another stark reality to consider.
Both of them could have lost their lives as a result of her decision. While her courage undeniably rescued someone, and I couldn’t be more proud of her, the situation should never have arisen in the first place.
We must do far more to promote awareness of water safety. We must teach our children – and remind ourselves – of the dangers that lurk beneath the surface.
We must understand currents, rip tides and shifting conditions before venturing into open water. Most crucially, we must recognise that confidence and safety are not one and the same.
The sea is magnificent. It creates lasting memories, offers an escape and provides much-needed relief during the summer heat. But no swim, no photograph and no fleeting moment of fun is worth losing a life over. My friend was amongst the fortunate ones. Tragically, many others are not.
If telling her story prompts even one person to think twice before entering treacherous waters, or inspires someone to find out more about water safety, then something worthwhile can be drawn from an experience that could so very easily have ended in devastation.
