Six rescues with drones performed on Fuengirola's beaches so far this summer

Drones have been part of the rescue and lifeguard service on the beaches of Fuengirola for the last eight years. This summer, they have already taken part in six rescue or aid operations. All the life-saving interventions were carried out in the second half of July, when the aircraft began to provide this service, according to data provided by the town hall.

The drones make possible not only the location of a bather who is in distress, but also drop a life-saving device from the air so that the person can hold on to it while waiting for the rescue and lifeguard service to reach them.

The beaches of Fuengirola have four drones, located at several points along the coastline in order to cover the entire municipality. Since they came into service, they have flown 91 hours, 90% of them for flights related to beach surveillance and accident prevention, the rest for the six rescue or aid operations. A total of 573 flights were performed, most of them routine surveillance and control of the bathing area (70%) and 22% of preventative tasks.

"Eight years ago, we were pioneers in incorporating drones to assist the lifeguard and rescue service on our beaches. Today, many municipalities have followed in our footsteps and we are a benchmark in this innovative system," said Fuengirola mayor Ana Mula. She stated that these actions, mostly coordinated with the lifeguard and rescue service, are "very useful for making decisions quickly and effectively, mobilising aquatic resources, such as boats or jet skis, and in short, making bathing much safer".

The Fuengirola lifeguard and rescue service consists of a team of 55 people. They collaborate with the Local Police's special summer service and 14 beach guards. "Our residents and visitors can rest assured, we have all the means to take care of everyone's safety," the mayor said.