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4w ago

Two Die as Powerful Baïne Currents Sweep Bathers on Gironde Coast

The prefect has extended the baïne alert through Monday and ordered coastal mayors to step up surveillance and public warnings.

[OLIVIER MORIN / AFP]
Lacanau-Ocean, Nouvelle Aquitaine, Landes (Photo by Philippe TURPIN / Photononstop via AFP)
En France, de nombreuses collectivités, dont Lacanau, ont déconseillé de se baigner sur certaines plages du littoral atlantique cet été.
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Overview

  • Officials confirmed on Sunday that two people drowned after being carried out by baïne currents at Lège-Cap-Ferret and Lacanau.
  • The Préfecture de Gironde said 31 people have been swept away by baïnes along the coast since Friday and reiterated an active alert through Monday 25 May.
  • Rescue teams and volunteer lifeguards mounted repeated interventions, including hoist rescues by the Sécurité civile helicopter Dragon 33 and dozens of beach extractions.
  • Prefect Sophie Brocas urged mayors to reinforce prevention and public-awareness efforts and told beachgoers to prefer supervised sites and follow safety advice.
  • Baïnes are narrow, deep hollows between the shore and sandbanks that create fast seaward currents that can look calm but pull swimmers out quickly, a hazard made worse by early hot weather and many unsupervised beaches.