Thibaud Hue, edited by Romain Rouillard 8:27 p.m., August 21, 2022
Because of the baïnes, these currents formed by sandbanks which carry swimmers out to sea, 17 people had to be rescued on Saturday at the cost of a major rescue operation.
If all the swimmers were found safe and sound, caution and prevention remain the watchwords.
The risk of drowning due to baïnes remains high on the beaches of the Atlantic coast.
These currents which carry swimmers out to sea led to a vast rescue operation on Saturday in Biarritz.
17 people, who could no longer reach the beach, had to be rescued.
With a jet ski and a helicopter, the rescue went to look for these bathers very far, more than 800 meters from the edge.
Several of them even had to be airlifted.
In the end, everyone found the beach safe and sound, but the incident could have turned into a tragedy.
"Do not fight against the baïne"
Martin Guépro, delegate prefect for defense and security in Gironde, therefore calls for vigilance: "Very quickly, there can be a surprise by very strong swell trains which arrive and which produce a very powerful baïne and which take the swimmers up to 400 meters offshore. When you swim, you always swim with someone nearby who can give the alert if there is a problem. And if you are unfortunately caught in a bath, you have to let yourself float, let yourself be brought back to the edge and above all don't fight against the baïne. No swimmer can resist it", he advises.
Moreover, the prefecture has still not lifted its alert and caution remains in order.
In the southwest, baïnes are particularly feared and have already killed five people since the beginning of May on the Aquitaine coast.
Last summer, 400 people drowned in France.