A 55-year-old man is in a critical condition in hospital after being swept away by a wave at La Tejita beach in southern Tenerife yesterday afternoon (Sunday).
The Emergency Services Coordination Centre was alerted at 4:15pm after lifeguards rescued the man from the sea in cardiac arrest, caused by swallowing an excessive amount of water, in the municipality of Granadilla de Abona, the Canarian reported.
They managed to resuscitate the man on the beach using CPR before SUC paramedics arrived and continued with advanced resuscitation efforts to try and stabilise him.
Once he was out of immediate danger, they transported him by ambulance to Hospiten Sur University Hospital, where he remains critically ill.
Local Police assisted medical crews at the scene and have launched an investigation into the incident.
With the peak summer tourist season still ahead, safety experts are issuing urgent warnings about what could become one of the deadliest years on record for aquatic accidents.
Just last week, a 70-year-old man tragically lost his life while swimming at the popular Playa del Cura beach in Torrevieja, Alicante. His death adds to a growing toll that paints a worrying picture of water safety across the country.
The statistics reveal a disturbing increase in drowning incidents. The latest data from Spain’s Integrated Water Incident Data Management System (SIFA) shows that June alone has already witnessed 13 drowning deaths in just the first ten days of the month.
May was a particularly deadly month, with 44 lives tragically lost in the water.
2024 saw more than 470 drowning deaths across Spain, making it the second-worst year for aquatic fatalities in the past decade.
The current trajectory suggests that 2025 could surpass even that grim milestone, according to reports.
The 2025 National Drowning Report reveals significant regional variations in drowning incidents.
Andalucía leads the tragic count with 33 victims, followed by the Canary Islands with 30 deaths and Galicia with 20.
The data reveals telling patterns about where and how these tragedies occur.
Beaches account for 40% of all drowning incidents, while rivers claim 30% of victims and swimming pools are responsible for 10% of deaths.
The remaining incidents occur in various other aquatic environments, from lakes to water parks.
Behind these numbers are real people and families devastated by preventable tragedies.
The victims span all ages and backgrounds, though certain patterns emerge from the data.
Nearly 60% of drowning victims were said to be over 45 years old. In 2025 alone, thirteen minors between the ages of 0 and 18 have tragically lost their lives, including a two year old British lad who drowned in a swimming pool at a holiday villa in Ibiza on June 6.
Most victims are male and Spanish, although 25 incidents involved foreign nationals. Perhaps most concerning is that over 100 drowning incidents took place in unsupervised areas or locations lacking lifeguard services.
Water safety experts emphasise that most drowning incidents can be entirely avoided with proper precautions and responsible behaviour.
The key lies in education, preparation, and making wise decisions about when and where to enter the water.
For public swimming areas, the most crucial advice is straightforward: only swim in supervised locations with trained lifeguards on duty.
These professionals can identify dangerous conditions, recognise swimmers in distress, and respond with life-saving interventions when every second counts. Families with children must maintain constant vigilance.