Balearic Islands sea rescue crew answered 597 emergency calls in 2016

BALEARIC sea rescue agency Salvamento Maritimo attended 597 incidents at sea last year.

Of the emergency calls received, 89% were from recreational boats, five per cent from fishermen and six from merchant vessels.

Altogether, the rescue team has seven boats which respond to distress signals sent by people in trouble at sea.

“You don’t need to be scared at sea, but you do need to have respect,” said Miguel Felix Chicon head of the Balearic Salvamento Maritimo.

“Sometimes during, for example, a Barca Madrid match, people let off distress flares. That is a signal for help and we have to attend that rescue.”