British tourist saved from drowning off Tenerife coast

A British tourist has been rushed to hospital following a dramatic early-hours police sea rescue off the coast of Tenerife.

The 24-year-old woman was saved after a passer-by heard her cries for help and alerted the police.

Her rescuers said today she was showing “clear signs of drowning” and swallowing seawater when they managed to reach her.

She was given initial medical assistance at the scene before being taken by ambulance to Nuestra Señora de Candelaria University Hospital in the Tenerife capital Santa Cruz.

The 1am drama happened in the holiday resort of Playa de las Américas, part of the municipality of Arona, in the south of the island.

A spokesman for National Police, whose officers saved the woman’s life, said: “National Police officers have rescued a 24-year-old woman from the sea in the promenade area of Arona, near Avenida Francisco Andrade Fumero, after being alerted by a man in the street who said he could hear a woman crying in the water.

“The incident occurred at 1am.

“Despite the reduced visibility, the difficult access to the sea due to the rocky terrain, and the impossibility of standing due to the depth of the area, the officers located the young woman about 40 metres from the shore and entered the sea to rescue her.

“Due to the complexity of the situation, the officers involved requested the assistance of other units in order to carry out the intervention with the greatest possible safety guarantees.

“Up to six officers from the local citizen security brigade of the southern Tenerife Local Police station took part in the rescue.

“The woman was crying out for help as she was submerged in the water, experiencing severe difficulty staying afloat, with clear signs of drowning, coughing constantly and swallowing seawater.

“After several minutes, the officers managed to stabilise the woman’s position so that she could completely lift her head out of the water and, despite the strong current, holding her firmly, she was dragged to shore to receive first aid.

“At the same time, the officers involved coordinated with the emergency control room to ensure the urgent arrival of medical services, and an ambulance quickly arrived at the scene.

“Finally, after stabilising the young woman and assessing her initial condition, they proceeded to urgently transport her to Nuestra Señora de Candelaria University Hospital.”

Well-placed sources confirmed today the unnamed woman was from the UK. It was not immediately clear this morning why she had been in the sea so late at night.

Last Saturday a tourist couple drowned at beautiful Vivers Beach in Guardamar del Segura on the Costa Blanca.

The man rushed into the water to try to save his partner after seeing she was in difficulties.

The pair, believed to be aged around 25, both perished after being unable to exit the sea because of the strong currents.

A male friend whose girlfriend also experienced problems went to her aid and successfully saved her.

The drowning victims were Ukrainian nationals who lived in Poland and had been visiting friends who live in the area.