THREE people have died in Tenerife after a group including foreign tourists were dragged into the sea when an enormous wave caught them by surprise – ignoring warnings from emergency services to stay away from coastal areas.
Two men, one aged 35, and a 55-year-old woman were killed on Sunday afternoon in northern Tenerife after a powerful surge swept the trio into the choppy waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
Another woman went into cardiac arrest at the scene, but was later revived and flown to Nuestra Senora de Candelaria hospital in Santa Cruz by helicopter.
A third woman was also rushed to hospital with injuries, although they are not believed to be life-threatening.
The horrifying incident took place at the Los Gigantes rock pool in Puerto de Santiago.
The natural pool is a popular spot for swimmers with warm water and spectacular views of the coastline and Atlantic Ocean.
But local authorities say the free-to-enter pool was closed to visitors amid a weather warning for tidal surges – with an alert in place indicating that waves could top five metres in height in northern areas.
The local mayor, Emilio Navarro, told the media: “All those hurt or killed were tourists.
“There’s a group that was younger – Slovakians and Italians – and there was another group of tourists who had crossed the tape that had been put up by local police or Guardia Civil, who have been working all week in this area and at other points along the coast.
“It is impossible at times to make people understand the dangers of the ocean.
“The tape has to be replaced several times a day in some cases because it gets broken and people even insult police because they do not want to leave.”
The nationality of the people who died is currently unknown.
According to the Association for the Prevention of Water Accidents in the Canary Islands, 60 people have drowned in the archipelago so far this year – a 10 per cent drop from the same period last year.
READ MORE: WATCH: Horrifying moment crowd of tourists are swept off pier by deadly wave in Tenerife
But Sunday’s tragic spate of deaths comes just weeks after three others were killed in similar circumstances in northern Tenerife.
In total, three people died and at least 15 others were injured in separate incidents in early November as the Canary Islands were battered by rough seas.
One woman – reported as a 79-year-old Dutch citizen – died after suffering a heart attack when she was pushed off a pier by a wave in Puerto de la Cruz, a popular resort on the island’s northern coast.
Three other holidaymakers were seriously injured, with video footage shared online showing the moment the group were swept into the Atlantic Ocean.
Elsewhere, rescue services airlifted a man who fell into water in La Guancha, less than 10km west of Puerto de la Cruz.
However, the unnamed man was later pronounced dead in hospital.
Another man died after he was found floating in the water off a beach in El Medano, less than 5km from the island’s busy southern airport.
At least five others were injured at Roque de las Bodega beach on the island’s north-eastern coast after a wave dragged them into the sea.
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