Tag: Coastal Safety Goa

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More Than One Domestic Tourist Rescued Daily on Goa Beaches in 2025: Drishti Marine Report

rencygomes02

Written by Intern Rency Gomes || Team Allycaral 

Panaji, February 2026: More than one domestic tourist was rescued from drowning every day along the coast of Goa in 2025, according to official data released by Drishti Marine.


During the year, lifesavers carried out 548 water rescues out of 614 reported incidents. Among those rescued were 450 Indian nationals — including tourists and residents — and 98 foreign nationals.
Speaking about the figures, CEO Navin Awasthi said lifesavers handled far more than drowning situations.
They assisted 829 victims through various interventions such as locating missing children, returning lost belongings, preventing thefts, administering first aid and responding to medical emergencies including fractures, dehydration and cardiac issues.

Foreign & Domestic Visitors
Among foreigners, Russian tourists (56) topped the rescue list, followed by UK nationals (13).
Domestically, most rescued visitors came from neighbouring Maharashtra and Karnataka.
Beaches With Highest Incidents
The busy Baga–Sinquerim belt recorded the most incidents overall.
North Goa hotspots:
Calangute – 103 incidents
Baga – 68 incidents
Sinquerim – 61 incidents
Candolim – 58 incidents

South Goa hotspots:
Colva – 55 incidents
Palolem – 50 incidents
Mobor – 38 incidents
Agonda – 35 incidents
Meanwhile, Dona Paula, Cola Beach and Zalor Beach recorded the lowest rescues with only one each.

Seasonal Trends
October saw the highest rescue interventions (67) as beaches reopened after the monsoon and tourist arrivals increased.
December recorded the largest overall number of beach incidents due to peak holiday crowds during Christmas and New Year.

Children & Medical Assistance
Minors formed a large portion of cases, with 97 missing-child incidents reported. Lifesavers also provided first aid to 110 victims for injuries such as cuts, jellyfish stings, dehydration and fractures.
There were also 12 stray dog bite cases requiring immediate care.
Authorities say the numbers highlight both the popularity of Goa’s beaches and the crucial role played by trained lifesavers in preventing fatalities along India’s busiest coastline.

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Drishti Marine Seahorse Platform Anchors Rescue of 13 NIO Students from Miramar Beach

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Intern Rency Gomes, Team Allycaral

The Goa government-appointed lifesaving agency, Drishti Marine, successfully rescued 13 students of the Dona Paula-based National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) after the fishing trawler they were travelling in ran aground on a sandbar around 200 metres off Miramar beach on Tuesday morning.

The rescue operation was coordinated from Drishti Marine’s newly deployed floating Seahorse platform stationed off Miramar beach. The platform, introduced to significantly reduce response time during marine emergencies, enabled lifesavers to quickly assess the situation and initiate rescue efforts, preventing further escalation as panic spread among those onboard.

The incident occurred at around 10.15 am on January 13, when lifesaver captain Shahish Ballikar noticed a stationary trawler that appeared overcrowded beyond its usual fishing capacity. Along with lifesaver Swapnil Khandolkar, Ballikar immediately launched a jet ski from the Seahorse platform to approach the vessel and evaluate the situation. The trawler crew sought assistance, and an initial attempt to tow the grounded boat with the help of a nearby trawler failed after the rope snapped.

As anxiety increased among the stranded students, Drishti Marine escalated the response by deploying a Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) alongside the jet ski, prioritising evacuation over towing. All 13 students—nine women and four men—were safely transferred from the trawler, provided with safety equipment, and brought ashore without any injuries.

According to lifesaver Swapnil Khandolkar, the grounded trawler was spotted during low tide after distress signals were observed from a nearby boat. He stated that when the towing attempt failed, the team immediately shifted focus to evacuation, ensuring that all students were safely transported ashore using Drishti Marine’s rescue boat.

Ahead of the festive season, Drishti Marine has deployed four floating Seahorse platforms at high-footfall beaches, including Calangute, Candolim and Miramar in North Goa, and Baina in South Goa, to enhance coastal vigilance and emergency preparedness. Once positioned, each Seahorse platform is stabilised by four legs anchored into the seabed and can be placed 20 to 30 metres from the shoreline, depending on tidal conditions.

The Seahorse platform is part of a series of innovative safety initiatives introduced by Drishti Marine, which also include AI-powered surveillance bots, a trained canine paw squad for beach safety, and Sagar Safar, a guided sea-swimming experience designed to educate beachgoers about sea conditions, beach flags, and safe swimming practices.