Tourists warned: don't Goa-n the sea

Authorities in the Indian resort of Goa are facing a water safety crisis as just one lifeguard out of 129 has proved that his swimming capabilities are up to the challenge of policing the beaches' tourists.

The sun and sea tourism capital of the world's most highly populated democracy has suffered a spate of drownings this year and currently has only nine fully trained lifeguards.

In August, six tourists drowned in one day, adding to the 200 that have died at the hands of the shore's currents over the past four years. After that tragic summer day, Goa's tourist authorities were spurred into action to recruit more lifeguards.

However, Sanjit Rodrigues, managing director of the Goa Tourism Development Corporation said that the failure rate was a "revelation".

Prospective employees were required to swim 400 metres in nine minutes.

"I am looking for professional swimmers but I got this," he explained. "We will now shortlist 79 of the candidates who had managed the distance in between 12 and 15 minutes and are more or less qualified for the mark.

"We are running a six-week intensive surf lifesaving course for them and we hope they will achieve the internationally recognised standard of nine minutes."

Mr Rodrigues put the high number of drownings down to tourists' lack of knowledge of the resort's waters.

"Most of north India is landlocked and these people come here and get overexcited, he said. "It is like walking into a suicide trap."