SEPT 4 — A beach can look peaceful.

The water can sparkle under the afternoon sun. The sand can look inviting. Teenagers can laugh, take photographs and imagine spending the night under the stars.

Nothing about the scene necessarily tells you that someone may not come home.

That is what makes the tragedy at Tanjung Lompat Beach so painful.

Six teenagers, all aged 16, were involved in the incident while camping with a larger group. Two were rescued. Two bodies have since been recovered, while the search continues for the remaining two teenagers.

For their families, these are not numbers.

They are sons. They are someone’s child. Someone is still waiting for a knock on the door, a phone call, or a piece of good news.

As someone who teaches Safety, Health and Environmental studies, I find myself asking a difficult question.

Did these young people know how dangerous the place could be? The question is not intended to assign blame.

It is a question about prevention.

Reports have stated that Tanjung Lompat Beach is not open for public recreational activities and is not maintained. There have also been calls for warning signs to be installed.

That should make all of us pause.

Because if a place is dangerous enough that people should not be there, how effectively are we communicating that danger?

A beautiful place can hide a serious hazard

One of the first things we teach in safety is that hazards are not always obvious.

A road can look empty but still be dangerous.

A building can look structurally sound but have hidden defects.

A machine can look harmless while containing moving parts capable of causing serious injury.

And the sea can look calm while strong currents are moving beneath the surface.

This is particularly important when children and teenagers are involved.

At 16, curiosity is normal. Adventure is normal. Being influenced by friends is normal.

That does not make young people irresponsible.

It makes them human.

We cannot build a safety culture around the assumption that every teenager will recognise a hidden hazard that even an adult may fail to see.

That is why prevention cannot rely only on personal judgment.

The environment itself has to help people make safer decisions.

A sign is not just a sign

When we talk about safety signs, they can sound almost trivial.

Put up a sign.

Problem solved.

It is not that simple.

A sign saying “No Entry” may be ignored if people do not understand why.

A sign saying “No Swimming” communicates a prohibition, but a message such as “Dangerous currents – risk of drowning” communicates the hazard.

The difference matters.

Effective safety communication should tell people three things: What is dangerous? What could happen?

What should I do?

This is the essence of risk communication.

People cannot respond appropriately to a risk they cannot see, understand or appreciate.

And today, this issue has become even more important because of social media.

An isolated beach can appear on TikTok, Instagram or Facebook as a beautiful “hidden gem”.

A photograph shows the sunset.

It does not show the current beneath the water.

It shows the campsite.

It does not show how quickly help can reach the location.

It shows an adventure.

It does not show the risk assessment.

A place can become popular long before anyone realises that it was never designed or managed for public recreation.

We should not wait for a tragedy to improve prevention After an incident, it is tempting to ask:

Who was responsible?

Why did they go there?

Why were they not supervised?

Why did nobody stop them?

Those questions may be important for the official investigation.

But safety professionals ask another question: What conditions allowed the incident to happen? Was the location clearly identified as unsafe?

Could people easily access it?

Were the hazards clearly communicated?

Were the warning signs visible and understandable? Were weather and sea conditions communicated? Was there adequate emergency preparedness? Were visitors given a safer alternative?

These questions do not remove individual responsibility.

They recognise that serious incidents rarely result from one factor alone.

Often, several small gaps exist at the same time.

And when those gaps line up, tragedy can occur.

Safety should not mean taking away our freedom Some may argue that this approach is too cautious.

Do we really need signs everywhere?

Do we need to restrict every beach, waterfall, river and camping site? Of course not.

Safety is not about stopping people from enjoying nature.

It is about helping people enjoy it with informed choices.

Malaysia is blessed with beautiful natural environments. We should encourage people to explore them.

But exploration should come with information.

If a location is unsuitable for recreation, people should know that before they arrive.

If the sea conditions are dangerous, they should know before they enter the water.

If an area is isolated and difficult for rescuers to reach, visitors should understand the implications.

Prevention is not about creating fear.

It is about replacing uncertainty with knowledge.

For parents and young people

There is also something each of us can do.

Before allowing children or teenagers to swim, camp or explore an unfamiliar location, spend a few minutes checking the basics.

Is the location officially open?

Are there warnings?

What are the weather and sea conditions?

Are there strong currents or sudden changes in water depth? Is there a lifeguard? How far away is emergency assistance?

And perhaps the most important question:

What happens if something goes wrong?

For young people, remember this:

“Everyone else is doing it” is not a safety assessment.

You do not have to prove your courage by entering dangerous water.

There is nothing embarrassing about saying, “I don’t think this is safe.” Sometimes, walking away is the bravest decision you can make.

Let this tragedy change something

The search and rescue teams working at Tanjung Lompat deserve our deepest respect. They are working in difficult conditions to bring people home.

But we should also recognise a painful truth.

The best rescue operation is the one that never has to happen.

By the time emergency responders arrive, something has already gone wrong.

Prevention has failed somewhere.

Perhaps the most meaningful way to honour the teenagers and support their families is therefore not simply to remember their names.

It is to make sure that the next group of young people sees the warning before they enter the water.

A beautiful beach can still be dangerous.

A familiar-looking place can still contain hidden hazards.

And a warning sign may look like a small piece of metal or paint on a post.

Until the day we realise that someone might still be alive because they saw it.

Safety should not begin after someone is missing. It should begin before they enter the water.

* Dr Marziah Zahar is a senior lecturer in Safety, Health and Environmental at the School of Business Management, Universiti Utara Malaysia.

** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.