Four persons, including two minor children from Bengaluru, were rescued from drowning off Goa’s coastline, even as Drishti Marine lifesavers also located two missing children and reunited them with their parents, besides tracing one lost mobile phone during the weekend.
Ashwem beach: Two boys aged 10 and 12 from Bengaluru were rescued after drifting into deeper waters while swimming. Lifesavers Vijay Talkar and Rupesh rushed to save them with a rescue board and a rescue tube, and safely brought both children back to shore. Their condition was reported to be stable.
Baga beach: A lost mobile phone was handed over at the Baga entrance point and later returned to its owner after due identification in the presence of police personnel. In a separate incident on the same beach, two men aged 30 and 36 from Karnataka were rescued after drifting into deeper waters while swimming. Lifesavers Jitendra Giri on a rescue tube and Srikanth Paryekar on a rescue board safely brought both men back to shore.
Baina beach: A five-year-old girl found alone in the swimming zone during closing hours was handed over to the police after efforts to locate her family. Police later traced her parents, confirmed her identity and reunited the child with her family.
Colva beach: A five-year-old child from Sanguem, Goa, who had gone missing was found by a Drishti Marine supervisor and brought to the tower. Following announcements, the child was reunited with his family after due confirmation.
Six Rescued by Drishti Marine Lifesavers Over Weekend on Goa Coast, Dudhsagar Waterfalls; Three Missing Children Traced
Drishti Marine lifesavers, along with beach marshals, responded to a total of 13 incidents across Goa’s beaches over the weekend, including six rescues, one medical emergency, three cases of missing children successfully traced, and one instance of theft prevention along the state’s coastline and at Dudhsagar waterfalls.
Ashwem beach: A 43-year-old woman from Delhi experiencing breathing difficulty was administered oxygen and stabilised on-site by lifesavers Sumit Ankulekar, Sahdev Narvekar, Sudhir Parab and Sanjay Yadav. In a separate incident, a 37-year-old woman from Andhra Pradesh was rescued after drifting into deeper waters while swimming by lifesaver Sunil Toraskar.
Anjuna beach: A 17-year-old boy from Hyderabad was rescued after struggling in deeper water and unable to return to shore on his own by lifesaver Abhay Parab.
Baga beach: A five-year-old child who had gone missing was located and safely reunited with her parents by lifesavers Novinesh Mhalvankar and Riya Chodankar.
Calangute beach: A 25-year-old man from Bihar was rescued after entering the water under the influence of alcohol and getting caught in a rip current by lifesavers Gaurav Chodankar and Lokesh Tanwar. In another case, a four-year-old child from Belgaum who had gone missing was traced and handed back to his family by Captain Shushant Gaonkar.
Colva beach: A 15-year-old girl from Karnataka was provided medical assistance after experiencing breathing difficulty due to seawater ingestion and was later shifted to emergency services by lifesavers and beach marshals on duty. In another incident, beach marshals Rama Gaude and Pratamesh apprehended two individuals attempting to flee with a stolen bag and handed them over to the police. A six-year-old child from Bihar was also found and reunited with her family by lifesaver Mahendra Kumar and jeep driver Manuel Muller. Additionally, a lost silver chain recovered by beach marshal Salma Shaikh was handed over to the police after no claimant emerged.
Benaulim beach: A lost mobile phone was recovered and returned to its owner following verification by beach staff on duty.
Palolem beach: A 65-year-old tourist from France sustained a spinal injury after a fall and was stabilised using a spine board before being transferred to emergency services by lifesavers Sudhir, Vikas Mehta and Ashik Velip.
Dudhsagar Waterfalls: A 28-year-old man from Kolhapur was rescued after entering the water without a life jacket and beginning to drown by lifesaver Maruti Atwadkar.
Drishti Marine Lifesavers Aid 7-year-old Boy in Dog Bite Case at Colva; Rescue Five Persons from Drowning Over the Weekend
Drishti lifesavers quickly responded to a seven-year-old boy’s call for help at Colva beach, after he was attacked by a dog, even as the lifesavers also managed to carry out three single rescues, one double rescue and also attended to two instances requiring medical assistance for beachgoers and locating a child missing at Baga beach.
Arambol beach: Drishti Marine lifesavers saved two lives at the Arambol sweetwater lake in separate incidents. In the first case, lifesaver Vishnu Kunal carried out a single rescue using a rescue tube after a 46-year-old man swam deep into the lake and began drowning. In a second incident, on-duty lifesaver Harshad Chandekar rescued a 36-year-old tourist from Maharashtra, who had ventured into the water despite being a weak swimmer, and brought him safely back to the bank.
Ashwem Beach: A 13-year-old Russian tourist was rescued after she got caught in a low-tide flow rip while enjoying the waters off Ashwem beach. She was spotted in distress by lifesaver Hiren Keluskar, who rushed towards her in a rescue boat and secured her. Lifesaver Nagesh soon arrived on a jetski and brought her safely back to shore. No first aid was required. At the same beach, a beach waiter approached on-duty Drishti Marine lifesavers, when a male guest showed no sign of movement, while seated on a chair. The lifesavers rushed to the restaurant with oxygen and administered CPR for about 45 mins till the 108 ambulance and its personnel took the individual away for further medical attention.
Baga beach: A four-year-old boy was found at the beach, by beach marshal Nilofer Usgaonkar and lifesaver Lokesh Tanwar. They took charge of the child and immediately called for a search for his guardians. After identifying his parents, the child was handed over to his parents in the presence of Goa Police personnel after following identity protocol.
Calangute beach: Drishti lifesavers Amit Mahale, Ashwini Mahale and Amir Gaonkar provided medical assistance to an 87-year-old woman who had suffered a fall while on a beach walk. Suspecting a spinal injury, the lifesavers called the 108 ambulance, carried her on a spinal board and handed her over to medical personnel for further attention.
Colva beach: While playing on Colva beach, a seven-year-old boy was attacked by a stray dog. The boy sustained a bite wound on his leg. Drishti Marine lifesavers stationed nearby, administered first aid to him and handed him over to his family, with advice to consult a medical professional immediately.
Palolem beach: Two Goan youth, while kayaking around 400 mts from the shore, lost their balance and toppled into the water. Lifesaver Subhash Gaonkar, while on a routine patrol on the jetski, spotted them in distress and rushed to their help. He brought them both to shore safely, while ensuring their safety.
18 Beachgoers Rescued by Drishti Marine Lifesavers Over Weekend
Drishti Marine lifesavers conducted a quadruple and triple rescue, among a series of other rescue efforts to save 18 persons from drowning along Goa’s coast during the weekend.
Arambol beach: Drishti Marine lifesavers Sakharam Bandekar and Ganajay Sawant rescued two tourists in their 20s from West Bengal after they were caught in a flash rip current. The pair, believed to be weak swimmers, were spotted in distress and brought to safety using a rescue boat and rescue tube. At the same beach, lifesavers carried out a triple rescue, saving three teenaged tourists from Bengaluru who had ventured into a red-flagged no-swimming zone. Non-swimmers, the boys were assisted by on-duty lifesavers Harsad Chandekar, Priyesh Kuble and Dattaguru Korgankar using a rescue tube, rescue boat and jet ski, and were safely brought back to shore.
Ashwem beach: Drishti Marine lifesavers Rupesh Kerkar, Leslie Rodriguez, Nagesh Sarang and Hiren Kelushakar rescued four tourists, two men and two women aged between 39 and 49 years, off Ashwem beach using a jet ski, rescue board and rescue tubes. The tourists, all from Kolkata and believed to be weak swimmers, had ventured into red-flagged waters. The lifesavers brought them safely back to shore and all are reported to be doing well.
Baga beach: Drishti Marine lifesavers rescued two tourists from Bengaluru off Baga beach. The men, aged 24 and 35, were weak swimmers who got caught in a rip current. They shouted for help and were spotted by the Drishti lifesavers on duty. Lifesavers Siddesh Bhosle, Saurav Kumar, Sandesh Paryekar and Sudar Singh rushed to their aid with rescue boats and tubes, bringing both tourists safely back to shore.
Calangute beach: Drishti lifesaver Shivam Rajbhar rescued a tourist from Hubballi who had ventured into the waters despite multiple warnings from the Drishti staff on duty. The 45-year-old got caught in a flash rip current and was rescued using a rescue boat before being brought safely back to shore. He is reported to be doing well.
Candolim beach: Drishti lifesaver Manoj Manjhi spotted a 48-year-old tourist from Germany calling for help after he got caught in a flash rip while swimming in the afternoon. He was rescued using a rescue boat and brought safely back to shore. At the same beach, two tourists from Hubballi ventured into the waters despite warnings about a rip current from Drishti staff on duty. The women, both non-swimmers, got caught in a flash rip current and panicked. Lifesaver Ratish Chodankar rushed to their aid with a rescue tube and brought both safely back to shore. They are reported to be doing well.
Utorda beach: A local beach shack worker was rescued from drowning by Drishti Marine lifesavers. The 34-year-old had swum into the sea and was tired and therefore unable to swim back. After he signalled for assistance, he was brought safely to shore. Since he was suspected to be under the influence of alcohol at the time of swimming, the incident was reported to the shack owner and the Goa Police.
Varca beach: Drishti Marine lifesaver Dinesh Gaonkar rushed to the aid of a 39-year-old woman who began to drown while swimming. She was rescued using a rescue tube and brought safely back to shore.
Agonda beach: A couple from Gujarat were enjoying the beach waters when a large wave struck them, dragging one of them deeper into the water. Drishti lifesaver Dinesh Velip rushed to assist the victim, a 33-year-old woman, securing her with a rescue tube and pulling her away from the current before bringing her safely back to shore.
Drishti Marine lifesavers conducted a quadruple and triple rescue, among a series of other rescue efforts to save 18 persons from drowning along Goa’s coast during the weekend.
Drishti Marine lifesavers Sakharam Bandekar and Ganajay Sawant rescued two tourists in their 20s from West Bengal after they were caught in a flash rip current. The pair, believed to be weak swimmers, were spotted in distress and brought to safety using a rescue boat and rescue tube. At the same beach, lifesavers carried out a triple rescue, saving three teenaged tourists from Bengaluru who had ventured into a red-flagged no-swimming zone. Non-swimmers, the boys were assisted by on-duty lifesavers Harsad Chandekar, Priyesh Kuble and Dattaguru Korgankar using a rescue tube, rescue boat and jet ski, and were safely brought back to shore.
Ashwem beach: Drishti Marine lifesavers Rupesh Kerkar, Leslie Rodriguez, Nagesh Sarang and Hiren Kelushakar rescued four tourists, two men and two women aged between 39 and 49 years, off Ashwem beach using a jet ski, rescue board and rescue tubes. The tourists, all from Kolkata and believed to be weak swimmers, had ventured into red-flagged waters. The lifesavers brought them safely back to shore and all are reported to be doing well.
Baga beach: Drishti Marine lifesavers rescued two tourists from Bengaluru off Baga beach. The men, aged 24 and 35, were weak swimmers who got caught in a rip current. They shouted for help and were spotted by the Drishti lifesavers on duty. Lifesavers Siddesh Bhosle, Saurav Kumar, Sandesh Paryekar and Sudar Singh rushed to their aid with rescue boats and tubes, bringing both tourists safely back to shore.
Calangute beach: Drishti lifesaver Shivam Rajbhar rescued a tourist from Hubballi who had ventured into the waters despite multiple warnings from the Drishti staff on duty. The 45-year-old got caught in a flash rip current and was rescued using a rescue boat before being brought safely back to shore. He is reported to be doing well.
Candolim beach: Drishti lifesaver Manoj Manjhi spotted a 48-year-old tourist from Germany calling for help after he got caught in a flash rip while swimming in the afternoon. He was rescued using a rescue boat and brought safely back to shore. At the same beach, two tourists from Hubballi ventured into the waters despite warnings about a rip current from Drishti staff on duty. The women, both non-swimmers, got caught in a flash rip current and panicked. Lifesaver Ratish Chodankar rushed to their aid with a rescue tube and brought both safely back to shore. They are reported to be doing well.
Utorda beach: A local beach shack worker was rescued from drowning by Drishti Marine lifesavers. The 34-year-old had swum into the sea and was tired and therefore unable to swim back. After he signalled for assistance, he was brought safely to shore. Since he was suspected to be under the influence of alcohol at the time of swimming, the incident was reported to the shack owner and the Goa Police.
Varca beach: Drishti Marine lifesaver Dinesh Gaonkar rushed to the aid of a 39-year-old woman who began to drown while swimming. She was rescued using a rescue tube and brought safely back to shore.
Agonda beach: A couple from Gujarat were enjoying the beach waters when a large wave struck them, dragging one of them deeper into the water. Drishti lifesaver Dinesh Velip rushed to assist the victim, a 33-year-old woman, securing her with a rescue tube and pulling her away from the current before bringing her safely back to shore.
Drishti Marine Lifesavers Thwart Suicide Attempt at Colva Beach; On-Duty Beach Marshal Suffers Dog Bite
A suicide attempt by a woman from Bihar was foiled by Drishti Marine lifesavers at Colva beach, even as a beach marshal suffered a dog bite on duty in a separate incident on the same beach, while another beach marshal also successfully intervened in a foreign tourist harassment case at Baga beach during the weekend. During the same period, lifesavers rescued one person from drowning, rendered medical assistance in three other instances, helped four persons recover their lost articles and reunited one missing child with his guardians.
Morjim beach: A 40-year-old male tourist from Bengaluru, while enjoying the beach waves, got stuck in deep waters. Lifesavers on duty, Dattaram and Ketan, rushed to his help with a rescue boat and a jet ski respectively, rescuing him to safety.
Baga beach: A tourist from Madhya Pradesh was stopped by beach marshal Nilofer Usgaonkar after he was found taking photographs of a foreign tourist without her consent. She intervened promptly and alerted Goa Police, who escorted the tourist to the beach tower. In a separate incident, beach marshal Sachin Amre and lifesaver Suraj Sawant found a lost Google Pixel phone near a shack and returned it to its owner in the presence of police. Later, Nilofer recovered a lost iPhone during patrol and handed it to police personnel Dhanaji Jadhav. She also helped trace and return another misplaced phone to a distressed tourist.
Calangute beach: A 28-year-old tourist from Madhya Pradesh, while walking close to the shoreline, suffered a deep cut on the sole of his foot due to broken glass strewn on the beach. Drishti Marine lifesavers Gauriah Gaunekar and Amir Gaonkar administered first aid to the victim.
Candolim beach: An 18-year-old tourist from Rajasthan fell ill, experiencing continuous vomiting and breathing difficulty while at the beach with friends. Lifesavers Gauresh Gunekar, Vinod Gaonkar, Sunil Matondkar, Suraj Sawant and Sushant Gaonkar administered first aid and oxygen, and shifted her by ambulance to Mapusa District Hospital, where she is recovering.
Colva beach: During beach closing time, a 25-year-old tourist from Bihar was found crying near a Drishti Marine jet ski after a reported argument with her husband and expressed suicidal intent. Lifesavers alerted Goa Police after she could not be traced at the location. She was later located by a beach marshal in a nearby garden, and both were taken to the police station. In separate incidents, Captain Arun Shirodkar secured a lost mobile phone found by a tourist and returned it to its owner after verification. Beach marshal Pratik Velip was bitten by a stray dog at the same beach during patrol and was shifted to a medical facility for treatment.
Benaulim beach: A six-year-old boy from Karnataka was found lost at the 5th point by lifesaver Gitesh. Drishti Marine staff traced his parents, and after verification, he was safely handed over to his father. In a separate incident, a 25-year-old tourist from Bihar injured both knees while in the water. Lifesaver Sagar Gaude assisted him, and Supervisor Rajendra Naik administered first aid at the beach tower.Palolem beach: A 14-year-old boy from Arunachal Pradesh injured his right hand after falling on a rocky patch. Lifesaver Vithoba Velip administered first aid and advised medical consultation due to the depth of the wound.
Beach Marshals, Lifesavers Thwart Three Harassment Incidents Involving Women Tourists, Including Foreigners, at Goa Beaches
Three separate incidents involving the harassment of women tourists, including foreign nationals, were reported at popular beaches in Goa over February 5 and 6, with timely intervention by Drishti Marine Beach Marshals and lifesavers leading to police involvement and preventive action.
On February 5, at around 3:45 pm at Baga beach, two male tourists from Telangana were bathing in shallow water near the shore, where a foreign female tourist was also standing. Both the tourists appeared to have consumed alcohol at the time. One of the tourists asked the woman if he could take a selfie with her, which she refused. After a while, the second tourist approached her again, attempted to put his hand around her waist and tried to kiss her.
The woman tourist, whose nationality is unknown, was uncomfortable and complained to nearby lifesavers. The lifesaver immediately intervened and called a Drishti Marine Beach Marshal to the spot. Lady Beach Marshal Laxmi Kholkar arrived along with a police constable and learnt about the incident first-hand from the victim. The victim was escorted to the lifesaver tower, even as the accompanying policeman summoned backup. The two errant tourists were taken to the police station for further action.
A second incident of harassment involving Russian female tourists by Indian tourists was reported on February 6 at Baga Beach. Beach Marshal Laxmi Kholkar and Lifesaver Ankur were on duty at the time. Upon receiving the complaint, they immediately informed the police. Two police personnel arrived at the location and intervened. After discussion and verification, the Russian tourists chose not to press formal charges. The involved Indian tourists were issued a strict warning by the police and subsequently allowed to leave.
On the same day, a third incident was reported at Colva beach, where a group of seven to eight tourists from Karnataka were present near the shoreline. One individual from the group was found recording videos of foreign tourists without their consent, including filming a foreign tourist entering the water and continuing to record while another foreign tourist was seated on the beach. Noticing the incident, the on-duty lifesaver Captain immediately intervened, stopped the individual and handed him over to the police for further action.
The incidents at Baga have been recorded on the body camera outfitted to a Drishti Marine Beach Marshal’s official gear, marking some of the early instances where both the scene of the incident and the victim’s account have been captured live on video.
Currently, around 70 Beach Marshals are posted on five popular beaches in Goa, namely Baga, Calangute, Candolim, Colva and Benaulim, as part of the state’s beach safety and prevention-of-illegalities framework.
More Than One Domestic Tourist Rescued From Drowning Every Day by Drishti Marine Lifesavers off Goa Coast
More than one domestic tourist was rescued from drowning every day by Drishti Marine lifesavers in 2025 in the popular beach tourism destination of Goa, with 450 Indian nationals which included Indian tourists and Goan residents as well as 98 foreigners during the year, taking the total count of water-based rescues to 548 from a total of 614 reported incidents, which includes several multiple rescues.
“In 2025, lifesavers assisted 829 victims through interventions, that went beyond water-based rescues, include locating missing children, returning lost articles, preventing thefts, administering first aid in case of suspected fractures, heat exhaustion, jellyfish stings, cuts, dehydration, missing persons and cardiac emergencies,” said Navin Awasthi, CEO, Drishti Marine.
The year also witnessed the rescues of Russians (56) and UK nationals (13), who topped the list of foreign nationals who were rescued by Drishti Marine lifesavers. Visitors from neighbouring Maharashtra and Karnataka topped the list of domestic tourists who were saved from drowning along Goa's coastline and the Dudhsagar waterfalls during the same period.
The coastal state's most popular Baga-Sinquerim beach stretch accounted for the highest number of water-based rescues and other beach incidents, like missing children and first aid administration, among others.
In North Goa, Calangute (103), Baga (68), Sinquerim (61) and Candolim (58) recorded the highest number of beach-related incidents necessitating the involvement of lifesavers in 2025, while in South Goa, Colva (55), Palolem (50), Mobor (38) and Agonda (35) emerged as the most incident-prone beaches.
Monthly trends indicate clear seasonal spikes in rescue operations depending on various factors, including weather conditions, holiday weekends, tourism seasonal variations and the Christmas and New Year festivities, which result in a significant bump in beach arrivals.
October recorded the highest number of incidents requiring lifesaver intervention (67) for the year, coinciding with the post-monsoon reopening of several beaches and the onset of the tourist season. December, traditionally Goa’s busiest tourism month, logged the highest overall volume of beach incidents, reflecting the strain placed on coastal infrastructure and emergency response systems during peak footfall periods.
Children and young adults formed a significant proportion of those requiring assistance. A large share of missing-person incidents involved minors (97) who wandered away from family members on crowded beaches. Drishti Marine lifesavers administered first aid to 110 victims, which involved attending to cuts from broken glass, injuries, stingray bites, stray dog bites, etc. In 2025, 12 incidents involving stray dog bites were reported on the state's beaches that necessitated first aid and immediate care from lifesavers.
Among individual beaches, Calangute in North Goa recorded the highest number of incidents in 2025 with 85 cases, while Colva topped the list in South Goa with 52 incidents. At the other end of the spectrum, Dona Paula in North Goa reported just one rescue in 2025, while Cola and Zalor beaches in South Goa also recorded one rescue each, the lowest in their two respective districts.
Seahorse Platforms Added Extra Vigilance on Goa's High-Footfall Beaches: Drishti Marine
Drishti Marine’s newly deployed Seahorse temporary floating platforms are already contributing to lifesaving efforts along Goa’s coastline, with multiple rescues recorded at beaches where the innovative offshore stations are now positioned, reinforcing their role as an added layer of vigilance during one of the state’s busiest tourist seasons.
In December 2025, the month when the Seahorse platforms were introduced, a total of 11 rescues were recorded at the four beaches where the units are stationed, including seven at Calangute, three at Candolim and one at Miramar. In January 2026 so far, rescues at these beaches have risen to 23, led by Miramar with 13 rescues, followed by Calangute with seven and Candolim with three. No rescues were reported at Baina during either month.
The floating Seahorses were deployed at Calangute, Candolim and Miramar in North Goa and Baina in South Goa, in addition to existing infrastructure including beach towers and shore-based patrols. Their placement offshore allows lifesavers to monitor swimmers and beachgoers from vantage points at sea, particularly in high-density tourist zones where visibility from land can be limited.
Recently the Seahorse temporary floating platform assisted with the rescue of 13 students from NIO off Miramar beach.
“In many situations, every second matters. With the Seahorse platforms, our teams are positioned closer to the risk zone, which significantly cuts reaction time. What earlier took three to five minutes to respond to can now be addressed in under a minute, and that difference can mean a life saved," said Austin Collaco, Drishti Marine's general manager in-charge of operations.
Lifesavers can now be dispatched to deal with water-based emergencies in under five seconds, according to Collaco.
"Within about five seconds of receiving the rescue alert, the jet ski is on its way. It can cover a distance of 100 metres in roughly two to four seconds, depending on water conditions. That is how quickly a lifesaver can reach the victim," he said.
Each Seahorse unit accommodates four to six lifesavers and is equipped with a jet ski ramp, rescue boards, surfboards and rescue tubes. A jet ski stationed on the platform enables immediate water entry, while the elevated position provides a wider field of view of nearshore swimming areas.
The deployment comes against the backdrop of increasing sand erosion along several beaches, which has made some conventional lifesaver towers unstable or difficult to reposition. The Seahorse platforms, conceptualised as temporary floating platforms, can be anchored to the seabed and positioned approximately 20 to 30 metres from shore, depending on depth and tidal conditions.
From the four temporary floating platforms which were deployed, presently two are present at Miramar beach and Baina respectively.
More than 450 Drishti Marine lifesavers currently keep vigil across 24 beaches in North Goa and 30 beaches in South Goa, in addition to inland locations such as the Dudhsagar waterfalls and Mayem lake.
Drishti Marine Seahorse Platform Anchors Rescue of 13 NIO Students After Trawler Runs Aground off Miramar Beach
The Goa government-appointed lifesaving agency, Drishti Marine’s newly deployed floating Seahorse platform, played a key role in the safe rescue of 13 students from the Dona Paula-based National Institute of Oceanography after a fishing trawler they were travelling in ran aground on a sandbar around 200 metres off Miramar beach on Tuesday morning, triggering panic among those onboard.
The rescue operation was launched directly from the Seahorse platform stationed off Miramar beach. The temporary floating station, designed to reduce response time during water-based emergencies, enabled lifesavers to assess the situation and initiate rescue efforts without delay.
The incident occurred at around 10.15 am on Tuesday (January 13), when lifesaver captain Shahish Ballikar spotted the stationary trawler, which was overcrowded beyond normal fishing capacity. Shahish, along with lifesaver Swapnil Khandolkar, immediately launched a jet ski from the Seahorse platform off Miramar beach to reach the trawler and assess the situation. The trawler crew requested assistance. Operators of a nearby trawler were asked to tow the grounded vessel using a rope, but the rope snapped during the initial attempt.
As anxiety grew among the students stranded onboard, Drishti Marine deployed a Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) in addition to the jet ski to evacuate the occupants safely. All 13 students, including nine females and four males, were rescued from the stranded trawler and brought ashore without injury.
According to lifesaver Swapnil Khandolkar, who was a part of the rescue team, they had spotted the trawler grounded on a sandbar during low tide and distress signals from a nearby boat. The early rescue attempt had failed as the towing rope snapped. “We immediately shifted focus to evacuation. All 13 students were provided with safety gear and safely transported ashore in a Drishti Marine rescue boat,” said Khandolkar.
Ahead of the festive season, Drishti Marine had deployed four floating Seahorse platforms at high-footfall beaches, including Calangute, Candolim and Miramar in North Goa and Baina in South Goa, to strengthen vigilance along the coastline. The temporary floating stations allow lifesavers to monitor swimmers and beachgoers from vantage points at sea and respond more quickly to water-based emergencies. Once floated to a desired location, Seahorse is stabilised by four legs, each approximately six metres long, which are anchored into the seabed. Depending on depth and tidal conditions, the platform can be positioned 20 to 30 metres from the shore.
The Seahorse is one more addition to the list of unique, innovative beach initiatives that includes AI-powered bots to maintain vigilance and aid public order, a paw squad tapping into the potential of trained canines for beach safety and Sagar Safar, a guided sea-swimming experience where Drishti Marine lifesavers take beachgoers into the water, helping them understand sea conditions, beach flags and safe swimming practices.