Three people have died from drowning in Guardamar del Segura over the space of three days. Following a double drowning on Saturday at Playa dels Vivers, a 51-year-old Dutch tourist drowned on Thursday at Playa de La Roqueta. Red flags were flying at both locations due to rough seas.
The first incident occurred on Thursday, 1st October 5:50 p.m. on La Roqueta beach, south of Guardamar. The swimmer, a Dutch national, was in the water when he called for help. Emergency services, the Local Police, and the Guardia Civil were dispatched to the beach, but were unable to save his life. His death has only now come to light following a double drowning two days later at another location along the Guardamar coastline. Lifeguard services are also available at Centro and Roqueta beaches during October in Guardamar.
On Saturday, a Ukrainian couple in their mid-twenties drowned at Els Vivers beach, south of the mouth of the Segura River. They resided in Poland and were visiting friends in Guardamar on holiday. The beach had been flying a red flag for seven or eight days and was experiencing strong rip currents.
The emergency call was received at 2:11 p.m. Two SAMU units and one Basic Life Support unit were dispatched to the scene. Medical teams performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the two swimmers, but both ultimately died.
The incident occurred at the last footbridge in Vivers, next to the breakwater, between 100 and 200 metres from the mouth of the Segura River, in an area with strong currents and numerous channels. The victims were with a group of friends when several people ran into trouble in the water. According to the account provided by municipal sources, two companions entered the water to try to help them. One managed to pull his partner to safety, while the other was also caught in the sea during the rescue attempt.
Local police, the Guardia Civil, and lifeguards also went to the area. Vivers beach, a natural stretch located between the northern part of the town and the Segura riverbed, is not among the areas with permanent surveillance at this time of year.