Watersports more dangerous on holiday

25 September 2006

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According to a report by Which Magazine, watersports in the Costas and Greece could be more dangerous than they need to be, thanks to dodgy operators.

Shoddy equipment and poor health and safety procedures are meaning that most watersports centres in Corfu and the Costa Blanca are rated 'unsafe' or 'potentially unsafe' according to UK standards.

According to the report, watersports centres, offering activities such as jet skiing, parasailing and inflatable rides often have little in place to stop accidents from happening, because there is no europe wide legislation controllig such activities.

Seven centres – CorcyraBeach and Kavos Watersports on Corfu, and Cavanna Wind, La Manga del Mar Menor jet-ski hire, Maleni Jet, Parres Watersports and Sandrina on the Costa Blanca, Spain – were rated unsafe.

A further four centres – 2001 Ski and Fun Club, Chandris, Glifada Beach and Messonghi Beach on Corfu – had faults that made them potentially unsafe.

Holiday Which? Editor Lorna Cowan said: ‘It’s not much fun having to spend your precious holiday time in casualty. We saw too many watersports operators who are making this all too likely with their total disregard for safety standards.’

Potentially dangerous practises included, the driver of a boat failing to wear a 'kill cord' which would shut the boat's engine off if he falls overboard, companies failing to keep the launching area bouyed off from the swimming area on the beach, and even companies offering windsurfing and jet skiing without anyone to come to your aid should sonething happen to you or the boat out on the water.

With so few rules in place covering the provision of water sports, experts are warning that tourists need to check the safety standards themselves.

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