Powerful wave kills four at popular seawater pool in Spain’s Tenerife
Four people were killed and one person was missing after a powerful wave swept a group of swimmers out to sea at a popular seawater pool on the rocky western coastline of the Spanish island of Tenerife, Spanish authorities said on Monday.
Crews found three bodies on Sunday – a 35-year-old man, a 55-year-old woman and another man for whom no information was available – during a major rescue operation that used jet skis and helicopters to locate and retrieve people swept out to sea.
A fourth, a woman, died on Monday, a day after being revived at the scene and taken to hospital.
No additional information was released regarding the identities of the victims.
The pool at Isla Cangrejo on Tenerife’s Los Gigantes coast is popular with foreign tourists, according to local media reports.
Surrounded by volcanic rocks on one side and cemented from the sea on the other, the pool is located almost at sea level and can be dangerous in rough seas, where large waves can easily breach the cement barrier.
Local media reported that a weather warning for rough seas was in effect when swimmers were swept out to sea. A media outlet reported that the pool has been closed to swimmers since December 3.
Residents said swimmers ignored signs and fences set up to prevent anyone from entering the pool due to weather conditions. They said it was very difficult for someone swept out to sea to hold on to the slippery rocks just below the pool.
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One of the local residents said, “People do not know what the sea is like here and the danger of the pool because there are rocks below that people cannot fall off and get up. This is very dangerous.”
Emilio Navarro, mayor of Santiago Del Tiede, expressed his condolences to the families of those killed and said rescuers continued their search for the missing swimmer on Monday.
He said authorities were taking steps to warn swimmers of the dangers and discourage them from using the pool in rough seas.
“We ask people to pay attention to the signs put up by the authorities,” he said. “To look after and protect everyone.”
