A riptide at the northern beaches of Bulgarian Black Sea city of Bourgas has lasted for the past 18 months.

High waves, undertow and hundreds of pits on the ocean floor have turned swimming into a risky pleasure, beach concessionaire Vaklin Stoinovski said, as quoted by Focus news agency.

A total of 57 incidents have been registered for the period since the riptide began.

The most recent case involved 24-year-old Roumen Dimov who jumped off the bridge and into a whirlpool. Four lifeguards managed to drag him out of the water.

Another incident involved a 45-year-old woman from Slovakia who fell in a seapit.

Stoinovski said that tourists should be very careful on the beach because they must share responsibility for their safety.

As of August 9, visitors of the south beach of Bourgas will receive flyers warning them of the potential dangers in the sea.
They will be informed on the main rules for safety.