A British man has died after being rescued from the sea off the coast of Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands. Emergency services were called to Playa del Aguila, also known as Playa de La Escalera, in the La Oliva municipality at around 5.30pm on Thursday following reports that two people were in difficulty in the water.
The man was located by rescuers aboard a Canary Islands Emergency and Rescue Group (GES) helicopter. After being winched to safety, crews found he was in cardiac arrest and immediately began CPR while transporting him to a nearby landing site. Paramedics, a medical helicopter crew and staff from a local health centre attempted to resuscitate him on the ground, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The second swimmer managed to reach the shore without assistance and was treated on the beach by paramedics, according to the Canary Islands government’s 112 emergency service. Lifeguards from La Oliva beach service, maritime rescue teams, Civil Protection volunteers, local police officers and firefighters all took part in the rescue operation.
The Civil Guard has opened an investigation and is preparing an official report into the incident. Playa del Aguila is a secluded beach on Fuerteventura’s rugged north-west coast, about three miles south of El Cotillo. Known for its untouched landscape, it features orange-gold sand, turquoise waters and volcanic cliffs, and is accessed via a steep 130-step staircase known as La Escalera. At high tide, the water reaches the cliffs and the beach can disappear completely.
