The Danube Delta is getting ready for the tourist season, and the Coast Guard warns those who visit the area not to treat boat trips as simple risk-free outings. From May until autumn, the number of tourists increases significantly, and along with it come accidents caused by recklessness, alcohol, changing weather, or lack of knowledge of the channels.
Andrei Ene, the spokesperson for the Coast Guard, says that one of the most dangerous attitudes encountered in the Delta is what he calls the „Superman Syndrome”: tourists who believe they can go out on the water anytime, including at night, without considering conditions, route, or experience.
"It's getting dark outside and I think I can go anywhere"
"There are situations where the Superman Syndrome of some people intervenes, who believe that if it's dark outside and they take a motorboat, they can go anywhere and anytime. No!", says Andrei Ene emphatically.
He explains that often accidents start from simple things, small obstacles that are hard to notice. "It has happened many times that they lose control of the boat, do not notice a log, do not notice a tree, do not notice a bank, and capsize," says the Coast Guard representative.
The risk increases when alcohol consumption is involved.
Life jacket and authorized operators
The Coast Guard recommends that tourists only use authorized operators, check if the boats are not overloaded, and wear a life jacket.
"All persons on board the vessels must wear a life jacket. Also, they should not operate boats while consuming alcohol. It is strictly forbidden, precisely to prevent navigation accidents. There have been such situations, and some have ended in tragedies," warns Andrei Ene.
Tourists are also advised to navigate or fish only in permitted areas, respect the closed season, and postpone water outings when the weather is unfavorable.
Locals know the places, tourists don't
An advantage in rescue interventions is that the border police officers who use fast boats are locals, says Ene. Many have been working in the area for years or even live there and know the channels, currents, and dangerous places.
"A tourist doesn't know. But these people come to their aid to save them. Let's not have to reach the point where people need to be saved just because they didn't think twice before taking the boat out," says the Coast Guard spokesperson.
On the water, the weather can change in a few minutes
Stefan Ivanov, the president of the Association of pleasure boat and fast transport operators, points out that safety in the Delta begins with educating those who organize excursions but also with respect for nature.
He says that the weather and marine currents in the Black Sea can change very quickly: "Within half an hour, from a very calm sea, it can become very rough."
Ivanov says that people working on the water need to know the rules, weather signs, and the limits of the area. "You need some education steps. First, you, the one providing the service, need to be very well informed about the activity you are doing and the rules you need to follow if you want to live to old age on the waters," he says.
Speed on the channels, a problem for safety and nature
Another issue is the speed at which some boats travel on the Delta channels. "It's not the engine capacity that's the problem, but the impact on the environment, meaning the speed at which you move through the Delta. You can have a large engine, but it's important to move very slowly," he explains.
In recent years, water radar checks have started to change the behavior of some operators.