Coed Swimming Can Be Fatal

Twenty-two swimmers drowned in the Caspian Sea last week while swimming in unauthorized areas where men and women can mix, Tehran radio reported Sunday.

The state-run radio urged vacationers only to swim in authorized zones that have lifeguards and are segregated by sex.

Under Iran’s Islamic government it is illegal for men and women to swim in the same areas. Beaches are separated by tall canvas screens that extend far into the water.

The radio did not say whether the victims were men and women who were swimming together.