Two people, including a British tourist, 52, die while trying to rescue children in difficulty in the sea on Spanish beach
- The tourist rushed into the water to help the children aged six and seven, along with others
- The double tragedy occurred around noon on La Roqueta beach in Guardamar de Segura, about 20 miles south of Alicante.
Two people, including a British holidaymaker, have died in Spain after trying to rescue a pair of children who were in difficulty in the sea at a Costa Blanca beach.
The 52-year-old rushed into the water to help the youngsters aged six and seven, along with others.
But he ultimately lost his life along with a Polish Good Samaritan at the age of 46.
Two other people were taken to hospital with breathing difficulties after the tragedy earlier today. Their nationality is not known, but it is believed to be a woman aged around 20 and a man aged 22.
It was not immediately clear this afternoon whether the British man, believed to be a tourist, was in any way related to the children.
Two people, including a British holidaymaker, have died after trying to rescue two children who were in difficulty in the sea at a Costa Blanca beach. In the photo: a view of La Roqueta beach in Guardamar de Segura, south of Alicante, where the incident took place
The two people with breathing problems were taken to the University Hospital of Torrevieja
The double tragedy occurred at around midday on La Roqueta beach in Guardamar de Segura, south of Alicante, during wind gusts of almost 65 km/h.
The lifeguard at the city center beach, where the three drownings over the past two days have occurred, is not yet operational.
Mayor Jose Luis Saez of Guardamar del Segura said after today’s double tragedy: ‘Three deaths by drowning in the last 24 hours on the beaches of Guardamar.
‘Prevailing sea conditions are very dangerous, with strong dragging currents making swimming inadvisable.’
He added: “Maximum precautions are necessary as the weekend weather will be unstable.”
The tragedies of the past 24 hours have left as many as eight people drowning in the first seven days of June in the province of Alicante, which includes Guardamar del Segura.
Among them is a 76-year-old Irishman in a bay called Cala Capitan, near the site of the last three drownings.
The other drowning victims included a Belgian pensioner and a Moldovan man.
Three swimmers died on Monday, in Calpe, Elche and Orihuela, all in the province of Alicante on the Costa Blanca.
The tragedies of the past 24 hours have left as many as eight people drowning in the first seven days of June in the province of Alicante, which includes Guardamar del Segura.
Most municipalities along the coast do not place lifeguards on the beaches until June 15, which is considered the start of the high season.
A Civil Guard source confirmed that one of the dead men was a 52-year-old Briton.
He said: ‘Two people lost their lives. One was British and the other Polish. They were both trying to help two young children who were in trouble at sea.
“The sea conditions were quite bad.”