Three people died and 15 more were injured after powerful waves battered the popular Spanish holiday island of Tenerife.
A woman died after being pulled into the ocean near the Puerto de la Cruz resort, and a man died at Santa Cruz de Tenerife, emergency services reported on Sunday. A third man was found dead in the ocean near a beach in Granadilla.
Emergency services have informed the public to stay away from coastal paths and to avoid taking pictures and videos of the rough seas as turbulent weather continues.
Rescue services reported airlifting a man who fell into the water at La Guancha, but he was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Another man died after being found floating near a beach at El Cabezo in the south, with lifeguards unable to resuscitate him.
At Puerto de la Cruz, one woman suffered a heart attack and another ten people were swept out to sea, three of whom were seriously injured.
A local waiter, who identified himself as Pedro, shared his heroic attempt to save those in danger, stating he managed to rescue three individuals before one tragically passed away.
Eyewitnesses reported that despite warnings to move away from the waves, many tourists were unaware of the dangers.
Officials have heightened alert levels across the Canary Islands, cautioning that sea conditions are predicted to worsen with swells potentially reaching two to four meters. They urge both residents and tourists to exercise extreme caution.
