Emergency services have recovered the body of a 42-year-old Polish man from Charco del Tancón, a notoriously hazardous natural pool in the municipality of Santiago del Teide, in Tenerife, as reported by the Emergency Services Coordination Centre (CECOES).
Charco del Tancón is a ‘blower’ cave, a geological formation where seawater surges in and out through a narrow tunnel, dramatically altering the water’s level and conditions within seconds. This phenomenon makes the area particularly treacherous, with powerful currents that pull swimmers underwater.
The incident took place at 2:30pm yesterday afternoon (Thursday), which is when CECOES received an alert from the Local Police, which reported a body floating in the water.
They immediately activated the necessary emergency resources including the Emergency and Rescue Group (GES) of the Canary Islands Government, a rescue helicopter, Firefighters, an SUC ambulance, and the Guardia Civil.
Firefighters and Local Police officers managed to recover the body and bring it to shore while awaiting the arrival of judicial authorities to give permission for it to be taken for official identification and autopsy.
Charco del Tancón has gained notoriety on social media, where it has been promoted as an idyllic swimming spot despite its well-documented dangers, and warnings not to go in it. The authorities have repeatedly warned against swimming in the area, as the unpredictable currents have led to several fatalities in recent years.
