At the resort of San Sebastian, located in the Spanish Basque Country, they plan to oblige careless bathers who begin to be carried into the sea due to their negligence, to pay for the work of rescuers themselves. It is reported by The Guardian.
The city is drafting a law under which people who begin to drown through their fault – for example, swimming in rough seas while intoxicated – will subsequently receive bills for the services of rescuers.
“I would be happy to never charge a single euro, pound, or dollar,” said city civil safety adviser Martin Labbe. “But the purpose of this is to prevent such incidents. This controversial law is aimed at making people think twice “.
The draft law began to develop two years ago. The impetus for more active work on it was the increase in the number of cases when people, according to Labbe, showed “outright irresponsibility” – for example, when a tourist was washed away by the tide while drinking on the pier, or when a drunk woman decided to climb rocks at a place known especially strong waves.
Rescue of careless tourists in such cases occurs at the expense of the residents of San Sebastian. In addition, the authorities are concerned about the fact that the rescuers themselves, who go to the rescue of careless vacationers, are in danger.