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It was a real tragedy that struck Sablettes beach in Algiers this Saturday evening. Five children lost their lives by drowning while two others are in critical condition in hospital. This children’s outing to the beach, organized by the Aïn Boucif primary school in Médéa, was to be a moment of joy and sharing. It turned into an unspeakable nightmare.
Contacted by Young Independent, the commander of Civil Protection, Nassim Bernaoui, explained the circumstances of the tragedy. “We received the alert at 6:45 p.m. on the Civil Protection toll-free number 20-21, from citizens present on the scene, who rescued the first six children. When they arrived on the scene, the rescuers took charge of the children, providing them with first aid and resuscitating them. The children were then transported to Mustapha-Bacha hospital for further medical examinations.”
The children, aged between 9 and 12, were enjoying the beach when they found themselves in difficulty in the water. A seventh body was found late at night. “Unfortunately, four of the six rescued children were not able to survive their arrival at Mustapha-Bacha hospital,” said Nassim Bernaoui. “Rescuers discovered that a child was still missing. A team of divers was immediately mobilized and managed to recover the child’s lifeless body around 9 p.m.,” he said.
The victims are Benkaida Soheib (12 years old) Draouia Alaeddine (12 years old), Mahmoudi Hamza (11 years old), Anis Rabhi (12 years old) Benkaida Younes Abdelmoutalib (9 years old).
This tragedy reminds us of the dangers associated with swimming in unsupervised beaches such as that of Sablettes. The area is known for its strong currents and unpredictable waves, which make it dangerous for swimming, especially for children. In addition, the significant pollution due to the proximity of the port of Algiers and boats constitutes an additional risk for the health of swimmers.
The Civil Protection Commander underlined, in this regard, that “the incident occurred outside the official summer season, which begins in June. At this time, surveillance and security measures are not yet in place, even at beaches authorized for swimming. These provisions will be implemented from the start of the summer season, in accordance with established procedures.”
Questions also arise about the supervision of children during this outing. According to preliminary information, the children were supervised by school leaders. But it remains to be determined whether the number of supervisors was sufficient and whether adequate security measures were taken.
In this sense, the same manager wanted to remind parents and accompanying adults of the importance of closely monitoring children and making them aware of the dangers of swimming in unsupervised beaches.
These beaches do not have the necessary safety equipment and personnel to guarantee the safety of bathers, which exposes children to significant risks, including drowning. “This also applies to bodies of water, as demonstrated by the tragedy the day before yesterday which cost the lives of three people in Annaba, Sétif and Djelfa. Swimming accidents in unsupervised areas are unfortunately common and can have dramatic consequences,” he said.
According to Mr. Bernaoui, “even if high temperatures encourage swimming, it is essential to favor supervised beaches where the presence of qualified lifeguards ensures the safety of children and adults. By making children aware of the dangers of unsupervised swimming and by adopting responsible behavior, we can help prevent such tragedies and protect our children.”
This tragedy sparked a wave of emotion on social networks, where Internet users expressed their sadness and their deep sympathy for the families of the victims, who are, without a doubt, inconsolable in these difficult times.