PANAJI: A total of 26 tourists lost their lives on the beaches of Goa last year, the state government told the legislative assembly today.
Tourism minister Dilip Parulekar told the assembly that 26 people had died on various beaches of Goa during 2012, as compared to 22 in 2011.
Baga beach, one of the hottest tourism spot, was the most fatal in 2012 where four people died of drowning, the statistics said.
Located 25km away from Panaji, Baga beach is one of the most crowded beach in Goa.
Arambol sea shore, located in the northern-most part of the state and ‘Queen of beaches’ – Calangute were the second most fatal, where three people each died during the last year.
Seven beaches including Velsao, Colva, Cavelossim, Varca, Sernabhatim, Mandrem and Betalbhatim were free of fatalities in 2012.
In 2011, eleven beaches including Anjuna, Palolem, Vagator, Candolim, Benaulim, Galjibag, Bogmalo, Arpora, Ozrant, Keri and Cabo-de-Rama had no case of tourist drowning in the waters.
Parulekar told the House that M/s Drishti Special Response Services Private Limited has been awarded the work of development, deployment, safety patrol with the state-of-art facilities in the coastal waters of Goa.
The agency has been asked to recruit, procure required equipment and install it, he added.
