Tenerife officials have urged tourists not to risk their lives for the ‘perfect’ holiday photo. On Wednesday, a 53-year-old tourist died after falling into the sea while he was trying to take a selfie.
At the time, the Canary Islands was under an orange weather warning and an island-wide state of alert.
The man was swept out into the rough seas near the natural pools in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife. Officials at the Emergency and Services Coordination Centre (CECOES) were alerted to the fall at around 4.15pm yesterday.
A huge rescue operation was swiftly put into action, including a helicopter, ambulances, SUC medical personnel, as well as Maritime Rescue boats and agents from the Local Police, National Police, Guardia Civil, and the Fire Brigade.
The Czech national was rescued by a helicopter which dragged him out of the sea.
A dramatic video shared by the Canary Islands emergency services shows the moment an emergency team official risked their life by descending from the helicopter and hoisting the man out of the water in the middle of a strong swell.
However, paramedics found that the man was already in cardiac arrest with signs of drowning.
The emergency crew on the helicopter performed valiant CPR during the flight to a hospital in a desperate attempt to save his life.
Tragically, the man showed no signs of recovery, and the medical team at La Guancha health centre was forced to confirm his death.
The Directorate General of Emergencies of the Government of the Canary Islands has issued a statement urging the public to take extreme precautions, especially near the sea.
The Canary Islands was under an orange alert for strong waves and wind gusts of more than 90 kilometres per hour when the Czech man was taking holiday photos.
The islands had also issued a state of alert throughout the archipelago due to the risk of coastal flooding caused by waves crashing up onto promenades and roads close to the coastline during high tide.
The government body said tourists had to pay attention and respect safety warnings.
The government officials warned tourists to avoid approaching the ends of piers and breakwaters and not to take photographs or videos near breaking waves.
Holidaymakers in Tenerife have also been told not to travel on roads close to the coast or swim in areas affected by strong swells in the sea.
