The Palma Coordination Center for Rescue handles 681 nautical emergencies this summer

Maritime Rescue, dependent on the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, attended a total of 2,984 emergencies of all kinds nationally during the summer of 2024 (from June 15 to September 15), of which 1,466 (49%) were related to recreational boats and other recreational activities throughout Spain.

The Palma Coordination Center for Rescue carried out 237 actions related to these emergencies, with a total of 681 people assisted in the Balearic Islands. During the summer of 2023, there were 220 interventions and 673 people were assisted.

The causes of emergencies in recreational boats were primarily structural or mechanical failure (77 percent), grounding or stranding (7 percent), with the remaining 16 percent due to multiple other causes such as fires, lack of news, sinkings, waterways, etc.

Authorities have emphasized that many of these emergencies could be avoided with proper maintenance and the foresight to carry out safety checks before departing. Even today, emergencies that can have fatal consequences still occur for such avoidable reasons as running out of fuel at sea.

Additionally, this summer, the Recreational Boating Safety Campaign was carried out, which seeks to promote prevention and safety among users of water activities, using platforms like X and Instagram to spread awareness messages.

With the slogan "A timely alert is your best lifesaver," the Directorate General of the Merchant Marine and Maritime Rescue, promoters of the campaign, have aimed to raise awareness of the importance of early alert and what to do to prevent a very high percentage of emergencies: check the weather forecast, make sure the fuel tank is full and there is enough for the entire trip, have life jackets for all sailors, and review all safety elements of the boat, including the engine, prevents emergencies and guarantees enjoyment at sea without surprises on most occasions.

The relevance of recreational boats in the total number of emergencies attended by Maritime Rescue is undeniable, as of the 5,525 vessels assisted last year, 2,376 were recreational boats (43 percent), 386 were fishing vessels (7 percent), 534 were merchant ships (10 percent), and 2,229 (40 percent) are counted in the category of others - rafts, floating artifacts, pontoons, etc.