Sant Antoni de Portmany has carried out a full-scale emergency drill at Es Pouet beach to test how its beach safety teams would respond to a possible sighting of a Portuguese man-of-war and a subsequent jellyfish sting.

The exercise took place on Friday, September 11, as part of the municipality's ongoing programme of emergency drills for its beaches.

Importantly, the exercise simulated a sighting. It was not a real discovery of Portuguese man-of-war in the waters of Es Pouet.

Simulated Sighting Triggers Emergency Protocol

The scenario began during a routine surveillance patrol, with a lifeguard monitoring the bathing area by kayak.

The lifeguard spotted several simulated objects representing Portuguese man-of-war near the swimming zone and immediately alerted a colleague on shore.

The beach rescue boat, operated by two skippers, was then deployed to inspect the area and assess the potential extent of the risk while maintaining a safe distance.

At the same time, lifeguards increased surveillance and began informing beach users as a precaution.

A Second Scenario Involved a Sting

The exercise did not stop at the simulated sighting.

A second scenario involved a beachgoer supposedly coming into contact with a Portuguese man-of-war and developing symptoms consistent with a sting.

The lifeguard carried out an initial assessment and first aid before activating the appropriate medical response.

The exercise included communication with the 112 emergency service, with the team providing information on the location, number of people affected, the person's condition, symptoms and the assistance already provided.

The handover of information to the emergency service was then simulated as part of the drill.

Testing Response Times

One of the main objectives was to measure how quickly the different teams could react.

The municipality assessed the time between the initial sighting and its communication, the mobilisation of the rescue boat and coordination between lifeguards and boat crews.

The exercise also examined how effectively beach users could be warned and how the team would respond if someone were actually injured.

A debriefing session followed the drill, allowing participants to identify strengths, possible difficulties and areas where the procedures could be improved.

Portuguese Man-of-War Is Highly Dangerous

The Portuguese man-of-war, known scientifically as Physalia physalis, is not technically a jellyfish but a colonial hydrozoan.

Spain's Ministry for Ecological Transition classifies it as having very high stinging danger. Its tentacles can extend many metres beneath the water and contain nematocysts capable of delivering an extremely painful sting.

The Balearic Government also advises people not to enter the water if Portuguese man-of-war are present and warns swimmers to move away from the shore if they see one in the sea because tentacles may extend a considerable distance from the visible float.

Fragments of the organism can also remain capable of stinging after becoming detached.

No Portuguese Man-of-War Found in August

The latest available official coastal monitoring data provide an important piece of context.

During August, the Balearic Government's coastal-cleaning service reported an increase in jellyfish in bathing areas, collecting between 15 and 20 kilograms of different species across the islands.

However, no Portuguese man-of-war specimens were detected during the August operations in the Balearic Islands.

The same service had also reported no Portuguese man-of-war during July, despite recording an increase in other jellyfish species.

That means the September exercise at Es Pouet should not be interpreted as confirmation of an ongoing Portuguese man-of-war outbreak around Ibiza.

Why the Drill Matters

The municipality says exercises of this type are designed to prepare teams for situations that can escalate quickly at busy beaches.

A suspected sighting can require several actions simultaneously: identifying the area affected, checking whether the organisms are moving towards swimmers, warning beach users, coordinating rescue resources and dealing with anyone who may have been stung.

The exercise allowed those procedures to be tested in realistic conditions without putting beachgoers at risk.

A Second Major Beach Emergency Exercise

The Es Pouet operation was Sant Antoni's second full-scale emergency drill on its beaches.

The municipality is using these exercises to test the coordination of its Beach Safety and Rescue Operation and identify weaknesses before a real emergency occurs.

The approach is particularly relevant during the summer, when beaches can be crowded and even a relatively small incident can require rapid coordination between lifeguards, rescue boats and the emergency services.

Jellyfish Presence Has Increased

Although no Portuguese man-of-war were detected in the official August coastal-cleaning operation, the same monitoring programme did record more jellyfish in bathing areas.

The increase comes during a summer marked by exceptionally high temperatures and unusually warm Mediterranean waters.

The presence of ordinary jellyfish is not equivalent to an invasion of Portuguese man-of-war, and the available official data do not currently support that description for Ibiza.

The distinction is important because different species vary considerably in both appearance and the severity of their stings.

What Beachgoers Should Do

The Balearic Government's guidance is straightforward: swimmers should not enter the water where jellyfish or Portuguese man-of-war are present.

Anyone already in the water who spots one should leave as quickly as possible and avoid areas where fragments or tentacles may be present.

People should also avoid touching a Portuguese man-of-war washed up on the beach, even if the organism appears dead.

Prepared for a Possible Emergency

The September 11 exercise at Es Pouet was not prompted by a confirmed Portuguese man-of-war sighting. Instead, it was a planned simulation designed to test how Sant Antoni's emergency teams would react if one occurred.

The drill covered detection, boat deployment, public warnings, first aid and coordination with 112.

With official monitoring showing increased jellyfish activity during the summer but no Portuguese man-of-war detected in the Balearic Islands during August, the exercise is best understood as a precautionary measure rather than evidence of a current invasion around Ibiza.

For Sant Antoni, the objective is to ensure that if a dangerous marine organism is ever detected close to a busy bathing area, lifeguards and emergency services already know exactly what to do.