As summer arrives, drowning incidents rise, especially along the Black Sea coast, where rip currents are the leading cause. Experts warn swimmers to be cautious and follow essential safety rules to avoid accidents and save lives.
Rip currents are strong flows that move away from the shore and can quickly carry swimmers out to deeper water. Many people mistakenly think they’ll be pulled under, but these currents actually pull horizontally away from the beach. That’s why experts advise that if you get caught in one, don’t panic or try to swim straight back.
Instead, stay calm, float on the water and swim parallel to the shore until you escape the current. Swimming directly toward the coast wastes energy and often causes exhaustion.
Here are some important tips from specialists:
Observe warning signs carefully and do not swim where it’s prohibited.
Avoid entering the water during windy or rough conditions, especially at beaches without lifeguards.
Never swim alone – always have someone watching from shore or swim with a group.
If caught in a rip current, stay calm, float and swim parallel to the shore rather than fighting the current.
Experts also advise rescuers approaching a drowning person to:
Keep calm and approach from behind to avoid being grabbed.
Pull the person out by swimming parallel to the coast.
Once onshore, never lay the victim flat on their back.
Instead, place them on their side to drain water from their stomach, then start rescue breathing immediately and call emergency medical services.
Professor Ali Uzun from Ondokuz Mayıs University explains that rip currents often occur near coastal areas with rocks, piers, or uneven seabeds that disrupt wave patterns. These currents can be several meters wide and hundreds of meters long, but are short-lived.
He stresses that even Olympic swimmers cannot easily fight these currents, which is why education and awareness are crucial. Authorities have placed warning signs in risky areas, but swimmers must also take responsibility.
Haşim Sancak, head of the Search and Rescue team in Samsun, a city on the Black Sea coast, adds that rip currents commonly form during windy days with larger waves, increasing drowning risks. He emphasizes the importance of staying out of the water in such conditions and knowing how to respond calmly if caught.
Samsun lifeguards patrol a 24-kilometer (14.91-mile) stretch of beach with boats, jet skis and ATVs to protect swimmers. Despite this, Sancak reminds beachgoers that their own vigilance and respect for warnings are the best defenses.
