A four-year-old boy and his 29-year-old father have drowned in a tragic incident on a beach in Spain, leaving the mother distraught. The family, who are French nationals, were on holiday in the resort of Riells de L'Escala in Girona when the tragedy unfolded.
Lifeguards were alerted after the boy's body was spotted floating in the water. He was brought to shore unconscious and resuscitation attempts were made until emergency medics arrived. Despite their efforts, the boy was pronounced dead.
The mother then realised her husband was also missing, prompting a major search involving police, fire crews, and Maritime Rescue. A police helicopter landed on the beach, and a thermal imaging camera was used. About 90 minutes later, the father's body was located three metres deep in the sea.
Witnesses reported seeing both the child and his father together shortly before the incident. It remains unclear whether the boy got into difficulty and the father tried to save him, or if the man became ill while in the water. The beach was flying a green flag, indicating calm conditions, and had a lifeguard service in operation.
A psychological support team was brought in to assist the mother and other distressed beachgoers. The local authorities have launched an investigation into the double drowning.
