Lifeguards assist bathers at the Blue Lagoon

Two bathers were assisted in separate incidents yesterday, at Comino's Blue Lagoon, in the latest of over 300 cases the Emergency Response and Rescue Corps have been involed in.

The first incident, which happened at around 1pm, involved a Maltese man in his 60s. Lifeguards were alerted that the injured man was located on a boat at the Crystal Lagoon. He was treated for suspected fractures to his leg and back injuries caused after he slipped.

The second incident involved an Italian man, also in his 60s, who fell into a hole about one metre deep, falling over sharp rocks. He suffered laceration wounds below his knee, injuries to the head as well as other minor wound spread among his body.

In both cases, lifeguards of the ERRC transported the casualties with hydroambulance Lifesaver 1 to Mgarr Harbour. There an ambulance took the casualties to the Gozo General Hospital for further treatment.

Last week, the lifeguards of the Emergency Response and Rescue Corps assisted a number of tired swimmers at the Blue Lagoon in Comino.

The ERRC lifeguards intervened in more than 300 cases in total at the Blue Lagoon and Santa Marija Bay in Comino and Marsalforn and Hondoq Bay in Gozo. These ranged from jellyfish stings, tired swimmers, fractures, provision of assistance to search for a missing person to mention a few. 81 of the cases above involved assistance to tired swimmers.

The lifeguarding service at the Blue Lagoon in Comino is possible due to financial support from the Malta Tourist Authority. Support is also being provided by the Ministry for Gozo, Mgarr Marina, Transport Malta, Police, Armed Forces of Malta, and the Civil Protection Department.