Illustration of a fisherman walking in the bay of Mont Saint-Michel.

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C. Allain / APEI / 20 Minutes

  • Two tragic accidents on the Breton coast on Monday.

  • The Atlantic Maritime Prefecture (Premar) warns the population of the dangers of these high tides, which continue until Thursday, April 1.

  • Rescuers remind you that it is necessary to learn about tide times and weather forecasts, to avoid going out alone and to have a means of communication with you.

This end of March is dark on the coast of Morbihan.

Black with people, first of all, because of the almost summer weather which inundates most of France, including Brittany.

But also gloomy because of two tragic accidents on the coast.

On Monday, a man in his sixties was struck by a wave around 5:30 p.m. in Saint-Pierre-de-Quiberon and died.

A few minutes earlier, a couple had been carried away while trying to return to the mainland after a walk around the island of Berder, in the Gulf of Morbihan.

Rescued, the woman could be saved and is out of danger.

Her husband, a 56-year-old man, had sadly passed away.

The occupants of the island had however formally advised against the couple to attempt the crossing because of the powerful currents generated by the strong tidal coefficients.

The greatest vigilance recommended to walkers

On Monday, the regional operational surveillance and rescue centers (Cross) stepped up rescue operations to help people isolated or fallen from the rocks.

Enough to encourage the Maritime Prefecture of the Atlantic (Premar) to alert the population of the dangers of these high tides, which continue until Thursday, April 1.

The objective: to invite the greatest vigilance.

“The very good weather announced this week should not obscure the fact that the sea state, at the beginning of spring, is still marked by the effect of the residual swell generated by the winter depressions.

The swell causes breaking waves spaced several minutes apart, which can surprise people who venture recklessly on the rocks, ”explains the Premar.

Do not go out alone and keep a means of communication with you

Lifeguards like to remind people that these accidents “don't just happen to others” and that it is necessary to learn about tide times and weather forecasts and to avoid going out alone.

It is also advisable to keep a means of communication with you (call 196 to join the Cross) and to always keep a visual reference and a possible fallback point on the coast in the event of a problem.

Last year, at the time of deconfinement and the first fine days, accidents at sea or on the coast had multiplied in Brittany.

There too, often fatal drownings.

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