Tom Ewart Smith
AN Irish father has tragically died after being pulled from the sea off the Costa del Sol during Spain’s massive blackout – in front of his young son, just weeks after the death of the boy’s mother.
The man, named only as Darren and believed to be in his 50s, got into difficulty in the water off Torremolinos on Monday afternoon, as a powerful current swept along the southern Spanish coastline.
He had been on holiday with his son and the child’s grandmother, reportedly to grieve the recent passing of his wife.
His death occurred on the same day that Spain was plunged into darkness thanks to the nationwide blackout.
Witnesses say they were unable to call for help – and when police eventually arrived, the ambulance had to be contacted by radio.
Dutch holidaymaker Menno van Oorschot, who witnessed the tragedy unfold on a Torremolinos beach, shared his account in a Facebook post that has since garnered an outpouring of sympathy online.
“Dear all, normally you see positive holiday messages from me. But today was a very sad day in the always beautiful southern Spain,” van Oorschot wrote.
“The sea was extremely rough today, with a dangerously strong current. Not a single lifeguard was in sight, as it’s not yet peak season,” he continued. “I even said to my friend Ingo, ‘Let’s hope no one goes into the sea…’”
Van Oorschot recalled the harrowing moment he spotted Darren go under: “While we were having a drink on the beach, I suddenly saw someone go under in the sea about 80 metres away from us. Without hesitation, I threw my things to Lindsay and rushed into the wild sea towards the person.”
“Together with several others, we managed to get the person back onto the beach and began resuscitation. Sadly, all our efforts were in vain. The man passed away.”
“What hit me hardest is that the man we pulled from the water was on holiday with his son and grandmother, trying to process the loss of the boy’s mother, who had sadly died six weeks before the trip. Now, the father has also died – and that touches me very deeply.”
The emergency response was severely hampered by the outage, according to van Oorschot.
“It hit me hard just how dependent we are on internet and phone services. No one could call the emergency services, and when the police finally arrived, they had to use a radio to contact the ambulance. It all took far too long.”
He ended his post with a heartfelt plea: “Take care of each other, and don’t be afraid to speak up if someone is doing something dangerous. It could cost someone their life…”
Comments beneath the post expressed shock and sympathy, with one person writing: “What should have been a carefree holiday turned into a nightmare. Wishing you lots of strength to come to terms with this, and also for the grandmother and the child.”
Another added: “What a story – we really are vulnerable and dependent on so many things. Stay strong.”
Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed it is aware of the case and is providing consular assistance.
For van Oorschot, the memory of what unfolded will stay with him. “The feeling of helplessness still weighs heavily on me,” he said, “even though I know that all of us did everything in our power today to try to save the man’s life.”
