The flags raised on beaches have a universal meaning to prevent accidents caused by sea currents, winds, or water pollution, among other causes, indicating when swimming is safe and permitted. However, it does not reach the entire population: people with visual impairments such as color blindness find it difficult to distinguish the established colors.
1 in 200 women (0.5%), as well as 1 in 12 men (8%), approximately 350 million people in the world suffer from color blindness, according to Color ADD, a visual impairment that makes it difficult to distinguish some colors.
Color ADD is a unique and universal language that aims to bring inclusivity to all beaches in the world through a series of codes on the flags. Likewise, it has symbols for each color, separate from beach flags, to facilitate visual impairment in any environment.
To the traditional colored flags observed on the beach according to the sea conditions, symbols are added in the center according to the color and meaning of each one.
The green flag, corresponding to permitted swimming, consists of a diagonal bar and a triangle pointing to the right. The yellow flag, known as swim with caution, has a diagonal bar. On the other hand, the red flag, identified as no swimming, carries a triangle pointing to the left. Likewise, the black flag, which Ecologistas en Acción awards for different reasons such as poor management, overcrowding, or pollution, is a solid black square, meaning there would be no difference with the traditional flag.
In Lanzarote, we can already observe inclusive flags on some beaches such as Matagorda, Playa Grande, El Reducto, or Los Pocillos, among others.
The report from the Royal Spanish Federation of Lifesaving and Rescue establishes that 472 people drowned in Spain last year, 75 of them on Canary Islands beaches, making it the second autonomous community with the most drownings in 2025.
As of July 2, 2026, Spain already has 217 drownings, 92 in June alone. In the Canary Islands, the number is 30 deaths that have claimed lives at sea in just half a year.
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