Two missing at sea spark urgent rescue mission in Gran Canaria
Emergency services have resumed the search for two people who went missing at sea in separate incidents on the south coast of Gran Canaria, in San Bartolomé de Tirajana and Mogán. The first case occurred around 11:00 pm yesterday (Monday) near Castillo del Romeral (San Bartolomé de Tirajana).
A person disappeared after going into the water in an attempt to recover a jet ski that had come loose from the boat towing it. A night-time search was carried out by Maritime Rescue by both sea and air, while police officers scoured the shoreline, but no results were found. Efforts resumed at first light this morning.
The second incident happened around 5:00 am today (Tuesday) at Mogán beach. Local Police reported that two people had entered the sea, but only one managed to make it back to safety. The second person did not reach the shore and remains missing.
A joint search operation involving land, sea, and air teams remains active along the south coast of Gran Canaria as authorities continue efforts to locate both missing people.
This is not the first time such tragedies have occurred in the Canary Islands. In July 2025, a 19-year-old tourist disappeared while swimming at night in Playa del Inglés, Gran Canaria, and his body was later recovered after a large-scale search. Earlier this year, in March, a fisherman was reported missing off the coast of Tenerife near Bajamar after his small boat overturned, while in Lanzarote in 2024, two migrants were lost at sea after their vessel capsized near Órzola.
Not all incidents end in tragedy. In August 2024, a German tourist was rescued alive after being swept out to sea by currents while swimming at Playa de las Teresitas in Tenerife, thanks to the quick action of lifeguards and a Maritime Rescue helicopter.
Similarly, in 2023, two kayakers who had drifted several kilometres off the coast of Lanzarote were safely located and brought back to shore after a coordinated sea and air search. In another case in Gran Canaria, a windsurfer missing near Pozo Izquierdo was found clinging to his board and rescued after several hours in the water.
These successful operations show the effectiveness of the Canary Islands’ well-coordinated rescue services, but they also highlight the need for caution in the often unpredictable Atlantic waters.
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