Baix Empordà loses the permanent GEAS base in l'Estartit

Centralizing the service in Barcelona raises concerns among local councils regarding response times.

Professional diving equipment on a stone pier with the sea in the background.
IA

Professional diving equipment on a stone pier with the sea in the background.

The Ministry of the Interior has decided to close the Civil Guard's Specialist Underwater Activities Group (GEAS) base located in l'Estartit, which had been operating since 1998.

The measure means that surveillance, prevention, and rescue tasks previously managed from this Torroella de Montgrí hub will now depend directly on the unit centralized in Barcelona. This decision has been met with rejection by several local councils, which question the service's effectiveness if personnel must travel from the Catalan capital in the event of an emergency.
The Torroella de Montgrí mayor's office has formalized its disagreement through an official communication addressed to the police force's leadership. According to the council, the presence of these specialists at the l'Estartit port was essential due to its strategic location in the center of the Costa Brava, an area characterized by its complex topography of cliffs and coves.
In addition to rescue duties, the unit collaborated with local diving clubs, providing safety advice and protecting marine heritage, including surveillance against coral poaching. The Illes Medes area hosts one of the highest levels of recreational diving activity in the entire Catalan territory during the summer season.