A British woman has died in a suspected drowning while on holiday in Ibiza. The tragedy happened this afternoon at the family-friendly S’Arenal Gros beach, the largest beach in Portinatx in the north of the holiday island.
The woman, who has not yet been named, was staying at the nearby four-star adults-only Sandos El Greco Hotel.
Rescue attempts and pronouncement of death
Town hall officials said lifeguards began to perform CPR on her, with help from a British doctor who happened to be in the area and an off-duty Spanish nurse and firefighter. Police and paramedics took over when they reached the scene and spent around an hour trying without success to revive her.
She was pronounced dead around 5.30pm today. The Civil Guard took charge of the situation on arrival around 6pm and will submit a report to a local investigating judge.
Beach conditions and next steps
It was not immediately clear this afternoon who the dead woman was with at the time. S’Arenal Gros beach features a wide stretch of fine, white sand and clear, shallow water that slopes very gently, making it exceptionally safe for families with young children, according to online travel reviews.
A post-mortem examination will determine whether the British woman died of a simple drowning or suffered some other kind of contributory health problem.
