Six students drowned and 24 were injured after ignoring red flags warning of dangerous waves and currents at a popular beach in Alexandria, Egypt.
Mass Drowning Incident in Alexandria
On Saturday, August 23, emergency services and rescue teams in Alexandria, Egypt’s second-largest city, were alerted to a group of students drowning at Abu Talat Beach. The students, who had arrived for a trip, began to drown despite red flags warning of high waves, officials confirmed. Sixteen ambulances were dispatched, but six individuals could not be saved. The Egyptian Ministry of Health confirmed the incident.
Hospitalization of Survivors and Beach Closure
The remaining students, who could not exit the water, were rescued and taken to hospitals. Twenty-four people were injured, with 21 requiring hospitalization due to near-drowning symptoms. Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar assured personal monitoring of the situation and pledged support for the victims and their families. Authorities in Alexandria ordered the beach closed.
Water Safety Guidelines
Following a weekend in Poland where 16 people drowned, Egypt’s National Safety Center and lifeguards reiterated key water safety rules. These include swimming only in designated areas, avoiding water after eating or when overheated, not jumping into unfamiliar waters, obeying lifeguards, and wearing life jackets when using boats, kayaks, or water bikes.
Source: Gazeta, **Sources:** *Daily Mail*, *The Sun*
