This area explains the origins of sea rescue operations in the river estuary and Port of Bilbao, the founding of the Arriluze sea rescue station in Getxo and the earliest rescue equipment there: a breeches buoy system that enabled rescues to be handled from shore.

There is a long history of shipwrecks on the river estuary and in the Port of Bilbao. Heavy winter storms, unpredictable gales and a much-feared sand bar all contributed historically to the high number of wrecks. Society gradually reacted to the loss of so many lives, and it was decided to build a sea rescue station. Thus, in 1919 the Port of Bilbao’s first standing sea rescue unit, manned by specialists, was created. Two years later they moved into their own building in Arriluze (Getxo), designed by architect Ignacio Smith.
The Arriluze rescue station is currently home to the volunteer rescue force of the Maritime Red Cross.

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