A tragic day has unfolded on the beaches of the Canary Islands today (Thursday) as three people have lost their lives to drowning in two separate incidents, according to the Emergency Services Coordination Centre (CECOES).
The first incident occurred shortly before 10:00am at Playa del Moro in La Oliva, Fuerteventura. A man heroically dove into the water to rescue a young girl in distress, and although the girl managed to reach safety on her own, the powerful waves slammed the rescuer against the rocks. Lifeguards pulled the unconscious man from the water, who was showing signs of drowning.
Emergency responders, including medical personnel from the local health centre, the Local Police, Civil Protection, the Red Cross, and the Guardia Civil, were all dispatched to the beach and arrived quickly. Unfortunately, despite their efforts to resuscitate him, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Just 20 minutes later, CECOES received another emergency call reporting two people in their 60s struggling to reach the shore at Boca Cangrejo beach in El Rosario, Tenerife.
Local residents managed to bring one of the men to shore, and started CPR until SUC (Canary Islands Emergency Service) and Red Cross personnel arrived, as he was unconscious and in cardiac arrest. They attempted resuscitation and continued life-saving measures, but couldn’t revive him.
The second swimmer was brought to shore by firefighters where he received immediate medical attention from paramedics, who again used advanced CPR techniques to save him, but they too were unsuccessful and he was also pronounced dead at the scene.
This series of tragic drownings highlights the inherent dangers of the sea, especially when there are active alerts and weather warnings in place for dangerous sea conditions. The local authorities urge caution and adherence to safety guidelines to prevent further tragedies.
