British tourist drowns in Costa Blanca – becomes seventh person to die on the same beachfront this year
A number of fatal incidents have occured at the town’s beaches that are known for their currents
Your support helps us to tell the story
Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.
Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.
Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.
Louise Thomas
Editor
A British man has drowned at a popular tourist spot in Spain, following a number of fatal incidents on the town’s beaches this year.
The 72-year-old man was pulled unconscious from the water around 3.30pm on Thursday at a beach in the resort town of Guardamar del Segura in Costa Blanca.
Attempts to revive the man by emergency services were unsuccessful.
The Daily Mail reports that ‘“well-placed” sources believe the man had suffered from a health problem before drowning in the sea.
Currents are known to be strong in the area, with the local council displaying Spanish and British signs warning beachgoers of the dangerous conditions.
The town, in the province of Alicante, is a popular tourist destination in Spain due to its 11km of fine sandy beaches, historical places of interest, and plenty of hotels and resorts that attract visitors.
The man’s death is reported to be the seventh that has occurred on the same beachfront this year.
Another British tourist died in June trying to save two children who were struggling in the water at La Roqueta beach in Guardamar de Segur.
The two children, aged six and seven, were in the water when the sea conditions worsened and winds reached gusts of almost 40mph, prompting a 52-year-old British man and a 46-year-old man from Poland to rush to help.
However, both the British and Polish men died as a result, the Spanish Civil Guard said at the time.
The two men lost their lives just a day after another man, a 68-year-old Israeli national, drowned at the same beach.
Guardamar del Segura mayor Jose Luis Saez said after the June tragedy: “Three deaths from drowning in the last 24 hours at Guardamar’s beaches. The prevailing sea conditions are very dangerous, with strong dragging currents making bathing unadvisable.”
Two days later, a 77-year-old man died on La Roqueta beach, having been pulled out of the water in an unconscious state.
Tragedy struck again just under two months later in July, with Guardia Civil sources confirming to Europa Press that a married couple in their eighties had died.
The man, 87, and woman, 85, from Madrid, were on holiday in Guardamar del Segura, when the man suffered a heart attack in the water while going for a morning swim.
When his wife saw he was in danger, she went to his rescue, and she also went into cardiorespiratory arrest.
After trying to resuscitate both, the Civil Guard reported the death of both victims.
The Independent has contacted the Spanish Civil Guard for comment.
For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments