Emergency Services Mobilised After Tragic Incident
Three people have died this Sunday afternoon after being swept away by a wave at a natural pool in the Los Gigantes area, on the coast of the municipality of Santiago del Teide in Tenerife. The information was confirmed by sources from the Canary Islands Government’s Emergency Services Coordination Centre (CECOES 1-1-2). The victims are a 35-year-old man, a 55-year-old woman, and another man whose age has not yet been confirmed.
Multiple Casualties and Rescue Operation
Another person was recovered from the water in cardiorespiratory arrest and was airlifted by helicopter to Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria. Further casualties include a 39-year-old woman with moderate injuries, who was taken by SUC ambulance to Hospiten Sur hospital, and another woman who was treated at the scene. The alert was received by CECOES at 16:07 hours, prompting the immediate activation of a major emergency response.
Large-Scale Rescue Deployment
The emergency operation involved Maritime Rescue with a Helimer helicopter, multiple resources from the Canary Islands Emergency Service (SUC) including ambulances and a medicalised helicopter, local lifeguards on jet skis, Tenerife Fire Brigade, a primary care emergency doctor, and Local Police. The first unit on scene was the Maritime Rescue Helimer helicopter, which rescued one unharmed person and one deceased man. Water-based units retrieved three more people from the water: an unharmed woman and two deceased individuals (a man and a woman). Several other people who had also been swept away by the waves managed to get out under their own power.
Wave Pre-Alert in Force Across Archipelago
The incident occurred during an active pre-alert for rough seas declared by the General Directorate of Emergencies of the Canary Islands Government for all islands, which has been in effect since last Friday.
Recent History of Similar Tragedies
Just one month ago, on 8 November, three other people died and fifteen more were injured in similar wave-related accidents across Tenerife in a single day. The most serious happened at the pier in Puerto de la Cruz, where a large wave swept ten people into the sea, one of whom died. Two other people died that same Saturday in similar accidents at the beach in Granadilla de Abona and on the coast at Charco del Viento in La Guancha.
Canary Islands Drowning Statistics
Up to November, a total of 60 people had died by drowning in the Canary Islands this year. This figure is seven fewer (-10%) than in the same period in 2024 (67), according to data compiled by the Association for the Prevention of Aquatic Accidents ‘Canarias, 1500 Km de Costa’. Regarding monthly data, six drowning deaths were recorded in November, the same figure as in October. This places it below January (8), August, and September (9), the latter of which saw a record for submersion mortality so far this year. The lowest figures were recorded in February, March, June, and July (3).
Furthermore, in November there was one bather in critical condition, three seriously injured, 14 with moderate injuries, eight with minor injuries, and one rescued unharmed. The current monthly average for deaths by this cause in the archipelago stands at five per month, a reduction from the 2024 average of six per month.
No post found!