Maritime Safety Administration: Inexperience at sea remains the biggest threat to navigation safety

Although this year's summer season on the Montenegrin coast has so far been marked by a smaller number of interventions compared to last year, inexperienced boaters, inappropriate boating, and irresponsible behavior at sea still pose a serious safety challenge.

This was stated in Boje jutra by Žarko Lukšić, Assistant Director of the Maritime Safety Administration, stating that during this summer the Administration directly participated in seven rescue operations, which is about 20 to 30 percent less than last year.

"We rescued 19 people, had two medical aid interventions and two vessel rescue operations. The smaller number of interventions indicates that the situation is somewhat better, but we still have situations that could have had serious consequences," said Lukšić.

He recalled the recent case in Dobreč Bay, where a speedboat with six foreign citizens on board sank, as well as the demanding rescue operation in Čanj, when foreign tourists with children were trapped on the rocks after riding stand-up boards due to strong winds.

"Our rescuer swam to them and safely evacuated them one by one. The operation was carried out in the evening, in the dark and in very demanding conditions," said Lukšić.

He pointed out that stand-up paddleboards have become increasingly popular among tourists in recent years, but that many underestimate the dangers of going out into the open sea.

"People think it's harmless recreation, but all it takes is a change in the wind to cause serious problems. That's why we always advise that before going to the beach, they tell someone where they're going and that they check the weather forecast," he stressed.

Speaking about the control of maritime traffic, Lukšić said that the Maritime Safety Administration, the Port Authority and the Border Police conduct joint controls along the entire coast on a daily basis.

Since the beginning of May, around 400 reports have been filed for various violations, which is many times more than in the same period last year.