Cristina Hodgson
ESTEPONA has unveiled a drone capable of carrying out rescue work at sea.
The small aircraft will have the ability to throw two life jackets into the water to bathers who are at risk of drowning.
The Councillor for Beaches, Susana Aragon, explained that this pioneering service in the municipality allows the pilots, who operate the drone from a post on the seafront, to quickly aid the person at risk.
Once the drone flies over the area where the bather is, the device will throw a rescue vest that will automatically inflate upon contact with the water.
Aragon has indicated that this type of aircraft can fly with stability even in times of strong winds, increasing the likelihood that a victim will be rescued.
The drone will be used to reinforce the lifeguard service, which this year is being extended to Playa de El Saladillo in Cancelada.
The five beaches in the municipality will be covered by 23 lifeguards, of which 10 will cover Playa de La Rada, four on Playa del Cristo, while El Padron will be covered by three lifeguards, as will El Saladillo and Arroyo Vaquero.
To ensure maximum safety at the beaches, the Town Hall will also provide an ambulance with a technician in health emergencies and a nurse.
Civil Protection volunteers will also patrol the area with a rescue boat to help bathers who find themselves at risk.
The safety and hygiene protocol on the beaches to guarantee compliance with the safety measures established in Phase 2 of the de-escalation plan will be maintained.
Estepona is not the only coastal area in Malaga to use artificial intelligence for beach safety.
Fuengirola also uses sophisticated technology to track how many people are on its beaches.
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