More than 100 people have drowned in Portugal so far this year. It’s a new maximum for the last five years, with August being the month with most tragedies (23). According to Alexandre Tadeia of the Portuguese Lifeguard Federation the fault is with what he calls “the lack of culture of people in relation to the aquatic environment”. Bathers do not “identify risks” – nor is there much in the form of education to ensure that they are in a position to, he added. Schools should be doing much more in this regard, he stressed.
