A 55-year-old lifeguard has been praised for his quick response and physical fitness after rescuing four members of a British family who got into serious difficulty in the sea at Grandes Playas de Corralejo.

They were saved from drowning following a dramatic rescue off the coast of Fuerteventura, after a lifeguard spotted them struggling in the water a considerable distance from the shore.

The incident happened at around 2:30pm yesterday (Friday) at Grandes Playas de Corralejo, one of the most popular stretches of coastline in the north of the island.

According to reports, the lifeguard was keeping watch from his tower when he noticed several people in difficulty well offshore. Realising the seriousness of the situation, he immediately left his post, ran down the beach, entered the sea and swam out towards them.

Lifeguard kept four people afloat

After reaching the four holidaymakers the lifeguard managed to keep all four of them afloat while waiting for additional rescue personnel to reach them.

A rescue jet ski subsequently arrived with two more lifeguards on board, who helped bring the tourists safely back to shore.

Once on the beach, rescuers discovered that one member of the family, a teenager under the age of 18, was showing symptoms consistent with a non-fatal drowning.

The lifeguards stabilised the youngster while waiting for medical assistance from the Canary Islands Emergency Service (SUC).

Paramedics arrived at the beach a few minutes later and transferred the teenager to hospital for further treatment. The youngster was admitted but was reported to be out of danger.

"The outcome could have been tragic"

Other lifeguards working at the beach have highlighted the exceptional physical condition of their 55-year-old colleague and believe his rapid intervention prevented the incident from becoming a tragedy.

Being able to swim a considerable distance from the shore before keeping four people afloat until reinforcements arrived required significant strength and endurance.

His actions meant the tourists could remain above water long enough for the rescue jet ski to reach them and complete the operation.

Calls for beach warnings in more languages

Following the incident, lifeguards working in the area have called on the authorities to provide beach safety information, warnings and restrictions in a greater number of languages.

Fuerteventura's beaches attract visitors from across Europe and beyond, and lifeguards believe clearer multilingual signs could help prevent tourists from misunderstanding warnings about dangerous sea conditions.

They argue that ensuring visitors can easily understand safety instructions and restrictions could prevent potentially fatal incidents, particularly on beaches where currents and changing sea conditions may not be immediately obvious to inexperienced swimmers.

The latest rescue serves as another reminder for holidaymakers to follow lifeguards' instructions, pay attention to beach flags and warning signs, and avoid entering the water when conditions are unsafe. 

Lifeguards want more signs in different languages to warn of the dangers of the sea (AI generated).