A British woman has died after being swept out to sea by a powerful wave in Tenerife, bringing the death toll from the incident to four, Spanish authorities confirmed on Monday. The woman, who was airlifted to hospital after being revived at the scene, died a day later. Three other victims—a 35-year-old man, a 55-year-old woman, and another man—were found dead on Sunday during a major rescue operation involving jet skis and helicopters. Two of the victims were Romanian and two were Slovak, according to their respective governments.
The tragedy occurred at the Isla Cangrejo seawater pool on Tenerife's Los Gigantes coast, a popular spot with foreign tourists. The pool, bordered by volcanic rock and a cement wall, sits near sea level and becomes extremely dangerous during rough seas when large waves can easily overcome the barrier. Local media reported that a weather advisory for rough seas was in effect at the time, and the pool had been closed to swimmers since 3 December.
Residents said swimmers ignored warning signs and fencing erected to prevent access due to the hazardous conditions. One local explained that anyone dragged out to sea would struggle to get a foothold on slippery rocks below the pool, making escape nearly impossible. Emilio Navarro, mayor of Santiago Del Tiede, expressed condolences to the families and confirmed that rescue crews continued searching for a missing swimmer on Monday.
Navarro urged people to heed official warnings, stating, 'We ask people to pay attention to the signage put up by the authorities. It’s to take care of and protect everyone.' The incident follows a similar tragedy in November, when strong waves killed three people and injured 15 in Tenerife during a tidal surge.
