Red flag flouters on Cabo de Gata beaches face fines

NIJAR Local Police reported eight beach-goers at the weekend who paid no attention to red flags indicating prohibitions on swimming in the sea due to rough conditions.
The bathers could now be hit with hefty fines.
The incidents occurred on the Las Negras, Isleta del Moro and Plazayo de Rodalquilar beaches in the Cabo de Gata Natural Park.
Nijar council said the reported beach-goers were individuals who repeatedly ignored the warnings of lifeguards or Civil Protection, and who as a last resort called on the assistance of Local Police officers “with the aim of avoiding the dangerous situations seen in recent days which have led to cases of drowning or rescues of bathers due to serious recklessness despite the clear prohibition signs.”
It was on the Rodalquilar beach that a Maritime Rescue helicopter team had to rescue a bather on Sunday after he got into trouble trying to get back to shore and ended up trapped on a rocky ledge, while last Thursday two beach-goers lost their lives in Nijar
One was in Rodalquilar and one in Las Negras. In both cases they had been struggling to swim back to the beach.
The council pointed out that Cabo de Gata is covered by the 2017 municipal beaches bylaw, which specifies that swimming when there is a red flag flying is considered a serious violation of the regulation. So too is not obeying the instructions of lifeguards or other “agents of authority” in relation to whether bathing is permitted.
Fines for violating the rules carry a fine of up to €750. Repeated violations of the bylaw could push a fine up to €3,000.