Formentera requests that Maritime Rescue and the Guardia Civil's maritime service have a base on the

The plenary session of the Formentera Island Council will debate next Thursday, August 29, a proposal presented by the president of the institution, Llorenç Córdoba, to request from both the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Development a vessel from the Guardia Civil's maritime service and a rapid intervention boat from Maritime Rescue based in Formentera.

In a press release, the island institution points out that the proposal states, in its explanatory memorandum, that Formentera is a tourist destination where nautical activity concentrates hundreds of boats, both commercial and recreational, which causes high traffic, especially in the Ses Salines Natural Park.

"This increases the risk of accidents and breaches of maritime and environmental regulations and that during the summer season there is a large number of emergencies to deal with limited resources by the Maritime Rescue service to assist people and protect the natural environment, as well as by the Maritime Service of the Guardia Civil to control nautical activities," it continues.

It highlights that this is compounded by "strong winds, maritime storms and coastal phenomena" such as those experienced last week, "which are becoming more frequent in the summer season and create situations of real emergency and danger for people requiring immediate action."

For these reasons and to ensure "optimal conditions of maritime safety on the coast of Formentera" it recalls that years ago the means of control of the Maritime Rescue and the Maritime Service of the Guardia Civil began to be demanded and that the latter had a base in the port of La Savina in 2017 and achieved "significant deterrent effects and a rapid response to emergencies."

It adds that the plenary of the Consell agreed to request both services in 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, and 2023 and that the only response received was in January 2021 from the Ministry of the Interior indicating "that the deployment of a permanent detachment of the Guardia Civil Maritime Service based in the port of Ibiza was being evaluated and that these vessels would also serve in Formentera." "But to this day, nothing is known about this detachment," it concludes.