Konya Police Underwater Teams Issue Summer Swimming Safety Alerts

Konya Police's Underwater Group, part of the city's Protection Directorate, continues 24‑hour rescue and search operations in lakes, dams and fast‑flowing streams. The teams employ thermal and underwater drones and adapt to harsh winter conditions by breaking ice to reach the water.

Team commander Commissioner Hakan Özdemir warns that simple mistakes—such as ignoring water depth, temperature, bottom structure or entering unknown areas alone—cause the majority of drownings. He advises swimmers to stay in supervised beaches or pools, avoid solitary swims, and use life‑vests for children, while emphasizing that panic control is crucial.

The unit also runs school‑based education programmes, having reached about 2,400 students in Konya's central and district schools, in coordination with the provincial education directorate. Özdemir cautions against posting risky photos on social media and urges anyone feeling unwell to exit the water immediately.