Three Dead as Powerful Waves Pound Spain’s Tenerife

Three people have died in separate incidents after powerful waves battered the Spanish holiday island of Tenerife on Saturday, local emergency services confirmed. The deadly accidents occurred as rough seas pummelled the island’s coastline, prompting warnings from authorities across the Canary Islands archipelago.

In one of the incidents, a rescue helicopter was dispatched to the northern municipality of La Guancha, where a man had been swept into the sea. Despite being airlifted to safety, he was pronounced dead on arrival, emergency officials reported.

Earlier in the day, lifeguards and medical teams responded to an emergency at El Cabezo Beach in southern Tenerife, where another man was found floating in the water. Efforts to resuscitate him proved unsuccessful, and he was declared dead at the scene.

In a separate and dramatic episode in Puerto de la Cruz, a wave crashed over a pier, sweeping ten people into the ocean. Police officers and bystanders rushed to their aid, managing to rescue the entire group. However, one woman suffered a fatal heart attack during the incident and could not be revived despite desperate efforts by paramedics. Three others sustained serious injuries and were transported to hospital for treatment.

Authorities said the region remains under an alert for coastal hazards, with warnings of dangerous waves and strong currents around the Canary Islands, located off the northwest coast of Africa. Officials have urged residents and tourists to exercise extreme caution and avoid approaching waterfronts until conditions improve.

The latest fatalities underscore the perilous impact of rough winter seas in the Atlantic, which frequently bring treacherous swells to the popular island destination.