Four Swimmers Die in Two Days at Spanish Holiday Beach
A tragic series of drownings has unfolded at La Roqueta beach near Alicante, Spain, with four swimmers losing their lives within 48 hours. The most recent victim, a 77-year-old man, was found unresponsive in the water on Saturday. Despite emergency responders' efforts, they were unable to revive him.
The beach, located in Guardamar del Segura, has seen a spate of incidents recently. On Friday, two men died while attempting to rescue two children struggling in the sea. The Brit, aged 52, and a 46-year-old Polish man heroically entered the water but tragically lost their lives in the rescue attempt.
The Civil Guard confirmed the identities of the deceased and highlighted the dangerous sea conditions at the time. "Two people lost their lives. One was British and the other was Polish," a source stated. "They were both trying to help two young children who were in difficulties in the sea. The sea conditions were pretty bad."
Two other people, a woman in her twenties and a man around 22 years old, were hospitalized with breathing difficulties following Friday's incident. The relationship between them remains unclear.
The local lifeguard service had not yet started its summer operations, contributing to the perilous situation. Guardamar del Segura’s mayor, Jose Luis Saez, emphasized the risks, stating, "The prevailing sea conditions are very dangerous, with strong dragging currents making bathing unadvisable." He urged for maximum caution, especially with the unstable weather expected over the weekend.
These recent tragedies have brought the total number of drownings in the province of Alicante to nine within the first week of June. Victims have included a 76-year-old Irishman, a Belgian pensioner, and a Moldovan man. Last week, three bathers lost their lives in different parts of the province, further highlighting the need for increased safety measures.
Most local councils do not employ lifeguards until mid-June, marking the beginning of the high tourist season. This delay has likely contributed to the increase in drowning incidents as tourists flock to the beaches.