A record number of children went missing on the Belgian coast on Monday, the hottest day of the year so far.
Huge crowds were anticipated at the beach last weekend, Monday and Tuesday, with railway operator SNCB running additional services to cope with demand. Lifeguard services were also on high alert, as high crowd density is considered a "key factor" in higher rates of missing people on the beach.
By 18:30 on Monday alone, 173 children got lost, breaking the record for the second time in several weeks: 482 individuals went missing in July compared to 225 in the same period last year.
"This number is certainly still going to increase," An Beun of the Coastal Lifeguard Intercommunal Services told Belga News Agency. In light of increased incidences, lifeguard services are advising holidaymakers not to venture too far into the water, especially after 18:30, when coastal supervision ends.
Crowds at the beach are expected to continue for the rest of the summer. Almost half a million (475,000) people spent the night at the coast last weekend along with 360,000 day trippers.
Aside from missing children, no other serious incidents were reported on Monday. "These are usual interventions, some people had issues but nothing serious," said Beun. "Many tourists suffered sunburn. Lifeguard stations intervened at least 500 times."
