12.10.2025 16:18
Nineteen young people who set out to sea on a stand-up paddleboard (SUP) in Antalya were found holding onto each other in the middle of the sea after being swept about 2 miles offshore due to strong winds. It was revealed that the young people were rescued from the sea by the coast guard and marine police thanks to an emergency call from a smartwatch.
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An event that could be the subject of movies took place around 09:00 in the Gençlik neighborhood of the Muratpaşa district of Antalya. According to the information obtained, 19 young people studying at Akdeniz University came to Konyaaltı Beach early in the morning for a weekend activity to do Stand Up Paddle (SUP).
THEY WERE DRIFTED AWAY BY THE WIND
As the young people prepared and set out to sea, they began to drift away due to the wind, which increased in intensity after a while. The young people, who started to drift helplessly against the wind blowing at a speed of 31 knots, could not manage to return despite all their efforts.
19 YOUNG PEOPLE WERE FOUND HOLDING ONTO EACH OTHER
After citizens saw the young people being swept away at Konyaaltı Beach and reported the situation to the 112 Emergency Call Center, boats from the Antalya Police Department's Maritime Port Branch and the Coast Guard Group Command quickly moved to the given location. The teams rescued a total of 19 SUP boarders, 10 of whom were male and 9 female, who were holding onto each other with paddles about 2 miles offshore. Some had fallen into the water and gotten wet due to the strong wind, while others were visibly frightened. The teams helped the young people stay warm by giving them their own clothes.
PENALTIES FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE COMPANY
The 19 young people, who were taken to Antalya Yacht Harbor by the boats, were offered hot drinks by the coast guard and marine police. A report was prepared, and penalties were imposed on the young people and the company that rented the SUP boards, in accordance with the article in the Antalya Governorship's Stand Up Paddle Board (SUP) circular dated June 30, 2025, which states, "Activities will be carried out considering the sea and weather conditions. Activities will not be conducted in sea and weather conditions above 3 Beaufort (7-12 knots / 12-19 km/h)." The personal belongings of the young people left at Konyaaltı Beach were collected by the police and coast guard, and after signing the reports prepared against them, the young people left the Yacht Harbor.
THEY WERE RESCUED THANKS TO THE SMARTWATCH
Büşra Ünlü, one of the young people who was swept away by the strong wind while doing SUP, stated that she set out to sea with her SUP board in the morning, saying, "There was a little wind, but I didn't think it would get so strong. My phone was not with me. After going a little further, the wind started to increase and began to sweep me away. At first, there was no one around me, I only saw one person. While I was asking him, 'Can you call the coast guard urgently?' my smartwatch heard me and said, 'Of course, I am calling the coast guard right now,' and it made the call immediately. I didn't know it was calling independently," she said.
"WE GOT CLOSER TO EACH OTHER AND WAITED FOR THE POLICE"
After the smartwatch called the teams, Ünlü stated that she had a phone conversation with the officer via the watch and learned that more than 15 other people were also being swept away by the wind. "I asked for help, saying that I was out at sea and calling from my watch. They asked if I was one of the 15 others. I said I was alone. About 20 minutes later, the Coast Guard came and rescued us. They saw me drifting away. They raised their paddles and said, 'Are you scared? Hold on to us.' We got closer to each other and combined our boards. We started waiting for the Coast Guard and Marine Police with them," she expressed.
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