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Some heartbreaking news from the natural pool in Los Gigantes, Tenerife, where a fourth victim has sadly passed away following Sunday's devastating wave incident. The woman suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest after being struck and was hospitalised, bringing the total death toll to four; all foreign tourists, including a 35-year-old man, a 55-year-old woman, and another man whose age wasn't specified

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The accident unfolded shortly after 4.00pm on Sunday at the Acantilado pool, where around 20 people, mostly tourists from various nationalities including mainland Spaniards, had gathered despite clear warnings. Santiago del Teide mayor Emilio Navarro explained that the area was fenced off with signs in Spanish, English, and German highlighting the dangers. "The victims ignored warnings not to enter the area," he said, noting a pre-alert for waves up to three metres, especially risky at high tide just an hour earlier. Among those lost were two Romanian nationals and one Slovakian, though this remains unconfirmed officially.

 

Rescuers acted swiftly: the Helimer helicopter plucked one person unharmed and recovered a deceased man, while three others, a man and two women, were saved from the water. A 39-year-old woman with injuries was rushed to Hospiten Sur Hospital by ambulance, and several people received on-site treatment for bruises and contusions from Canary Islands Emergency Service teams. A search for a still-missing person has gone on since Sunday afternoon without success.

 

Navarro expressed profound sorrow, saying, "We deeply regret this tragic accident. We understand the pain of the families and their situation. The City Council is doing all the necessary work to secure the area and provide information." The Canary Islands Government urges extra caution along coasts under pre-alert since Friday, from El Hierro and La Palma to Tenerife and Gran Canaria, stressing self-protection measures at sea.

 

This comes amid a string of similar tragedies, echoing the three other deaths and 15 injuries from waves just a month ago on November 8 across Tenerife and other islands.

 

 

Image: Linda L Jackson/Pixabay