On Tuesday July 21 at around 1.36pm emergency services were called to La Laja Beach, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria following reports of two people in distress in the water
A 12-year-old child has tragically died after getting into difficulty in the sea off the coast of a Spanish island.
On Tuesday July 21 at around 1.36pm emergency services were called to La Laja Beach, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria following reports of two people in distress in the water.
One medical ambulance, one basic life support ambulance and one rapid intervention vehicle all raced to the scene alongside a rescue helicopter and ground support unit Spanish Red Cross, Maritime Rescue, Civil Guard, police and fire crews.
Upon arrival beach rescue personnel from the Red Cross rescued an 11-year-old minor from the sea. The child was transferred in a basic life support ambulance of the SUC to the University Maternal and Child Hospital of the Canary Islands. The extent of their injuries was not disclosed and no update has been given on their condition.
A search operation began by land, sea and air for the second missing minor until the body was located in the water and transported by a Civil Guard vessel to the San Cristóbal dock.
Officers from the National Police are investigating the incident.
La Laja beach is one of the four beaches located in the capital of Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. It is located between the southern part of the capital city and Telde, which is the second most populated town on the island.
It is rare to find tourists on La Laja beach. It is mostly local Gran Canarians who take advantage of this beach.
It comes after a mother and her daughter died on West Mersea beach in Essex this week. Essex Police has confirmed Shelina Rahman, 41, and Samiha, 15, died after getting into difficulty in water on Mersea Island at around 5.35pm on Wednesday 22 July.
Shelina and Samiha had tried in vain to save Samiha’s seven-year-old cousin from the water in an area of beach near Seaview Avenue at West Mersea Island Beach in Essex. The mother and daughter, though, got caught in the high tide and, despite the the valiant efforts of teenagers on the beach, were pronounced dead at the scene. The little boy is fighting for his life in hospital.
