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The CRCS Regional Maritime Rescue Service based in Palma, which is responsible for controlling an area of 90'000 square kilometres carried out 81 operations last month, which was the largest number of rescue missions mounted in the space of a month in the service's seven-year history. Rescue centre boss, Miguel Félix Chicón, said yesterday that only 14 of the operations were rescue missions to save vessels which had been involved in accidents, the remaining 67 involved the rescue service solving problems. Since the start of the year the CRCS has responded to 197 emergencies and the figures for August are expected to be unusually high as this is the month which sees the largest number of vessels take to Balearic waters. The majority of the incidents have involved recreational craft, but the CRCS boss says that can be expected as there is such a large number of recreationla vessels in the Balearics. The majority of incidents are caused by mechanical faults and most of the vessels are towed back to port. However, the CRCS has been involved in the rescue of swimmers and windsurfers caught by the currents. There has also been an alarming increase in the number of incidents involving jet skiers and a review of jet ski controls is to be carried out. mc.mdbUbitel.es