Safety at Sea campaign

If swimmers, boat owners and watersport operators co-operate and work together this summer then everyone can enjoy the sea safely, said Malta Maritime Authority (MMA) marketing and communications manager Charles Axisa at the launch of the tenth annual Safety at Sea campaign.

"But to do that we have to change the culture of Maltese boat owners and water sport instructors," he added. And that's the aim of the 2005 MMA Safety at Sea campaign... as well as to let swimmers know where they can swim around the island without danger.

"The whole idea of this campaign is to raise awareness and educate - it's our duty and responsibility to do it because we are all using the sea. Plus to help us help the general public and other sea users to use common sense and stay safe whilst still enjoying themselves," he said.

MMA chairman Marc Bonello said that the campaign was intended to alert people to the fact that everyone can be at risk from a sea accident. "It's vital to respect regulations because although everyone has the right to enjoy the sea they should not put themselves and others in danger."

And one of the campaign's main initiatives is the creation of 'boat free' safe swimming zones - four new swimming zones have been marked out for bathers this year... three at Marsascala and one in Gozo. The zones in Marsascala are near the waterpolo pitch leading up to and along the promenade towards the Jerma Hotel and St Thomas Bay. The new Gozo zone is at Mgarr ix-Xini.

The number of swimming zones, chosen for their popularity with bathers, has now reached 24 and are cornered off and marked by yellow and red buoys placed at 50-metre intervals.

These will be kept in place until the end of September and the summer season. And although the MMA supplies the buoys and puts them in place it's then the local councils' job to maintain them year after year.

The water sport operators also have marked 'launching lanes' where buoys corner off an area for the pedaloes, jet skis, paragliding equipment, etc. - but if these regulations are not adhered to then the MMA are asking for the public's help to let them know so that they can enforce the rules. And with no accidents for three years it seems the campaign is succeeding.

John Farrugia, MMA's small ships administrator, said that over the ten years that the campaign has been running the amount of ships has increased to 16,000 with around 14,000 active in the summer months - plus visiting boats from abroad.

And to get the boat owners to act more safely at sea the MMA have now introduced a small 'boat driving test' called the nautical licence where all people who have over 100hp engines have to have a licence - so far 4,086 licenses have been awarded.

Mr Farrugia said that the new licensing rules have been a complete success. "This is a good way for people to be aware of being a responsible and safe boat owner, whatever the strength of the engine."

In fact as Mr Axisa added that the course run by MCAST costs only Lm50 and is run over a week or 10 days so it is accessible for everyone, "ideally I would like everyone who owns a boat to attend." The licence costs just Lm10 and is valid for a decade.

Driving a boat at sea is like a car Mr Farrugia continued, "It's all about common sense for the driver who should be responsible. Like roads we should abide the law and not drive irresponsibly which is when accidents happen. In fact the main reason accidents occur is from an over confidence driver."

At present boats must keep 300m away from a sandy beach and 200m from rocky shores to protect the bathers... but although public opinion points the finger of blame to the water sport operators and ship owners when an accident occurs it is also many times the fault of the swimmers who actually put themselves at risk but swimming in the wrong places, Mr Farrugia added.

But it's the little silly things that boat owners do that the nautical licence course could correct , "like not using a VHF radio and taking a mobile onboard which is not as effective on a boat and can run out of battery. The radio has a longer rang and when you get into danger you can make everyone aware of where you are... but you should always tell people when and where you are going before you leave anyway," he said.

The government is also acting on this issue. Transport Minister Censu Galea said at the campaign's launch that they will be lowering the motor capacity to 75hp for when a licence is required. "Eventually a licence would be needed for the operation of all sea craft," he said.

And although Mr Farrugia said that there had been no accidents last year Mr Galea added that with the raising number of registered pleasure vessels people were starting to exercise caution in the sea.

But people were still swimming where they shouldn't, putting themselves and boat owners in danger. For example bathers have been known to take a dip in the Grand Harbour, "it is irresponsible to swim in commercial harbours and creeks close to intense boating activity".

Hence why the MMA will be advertising their campaign message throughout this summer period on bus stops, bill boards, in the media... especially the radio which the MMA has found to be the most effective to get its message over to the public.

The information will be visible for both locals and tourists and of course enforcing the regulations will be done by police patrol boats, "we have donated two boats to the police for this reason and one for them in Gozo... they also have their own boats.

"But we need public co-operation for this campaign to work. If a regulation is breached people must phone and report things - but not just with the place and time but also a boat owner or number," Mr Farrugia said.

And although we are catching up with other sea and sun holiday destination countries vis-à-vis beach signposting and safety at sea regulations, "we are still not as advanced as other countries but we are much easier to regulate, our beaches are small," he added.

So it's really all about harmony and co-operation between everyone involved, not just the swimmers, boat owners and water sport instructors but also the MMA, the police the AFM, civil protection - and only by working together can we all stay safe at sea.

Abusive or dangerous activity is to be reported to the Administrative Law Enforcement police on the emergency number 112. The Armed Forces Maritime Rescue can be contacted on 2180-9279.