A girl of about 12 years old has died and another of 11 has been rescued alive after drowning at La Laja beach in the capital of Gran Canaria. The incident mobilised a large emergency response.
La Laja beach, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, was the scene of a tragedy on Tuesday that has shocked the capital. A girl of approximately 12 years lost her life after being swept away by the sea, while another girl of 11 years was rescued alive and taken to hospital. The alert was received by the Emergency and Security Coordination Centre (CECOES) 112 at 13:36 hours, immediately activating a deployment of land, sea, and air resources.
A Rescue That Could Not Prevent Death
The events occurred on a day of strong waves on the east coast of Gran Canaria. According to sources from the Canarian Emergency Service (SUC), the 11-year-old girl was rescued from the water by the lifeguard personnel of the Red Cross who serve at the beach. After being stabilised, she was evacuated in a basic life support ambulance to the Materno Infantil University Hospital of the Canary Islands, where she was admitted with a mild prognosis.
The other girl, around 12 years old, remained missing for several minutes while a search operation was deployed by land, sea, and air. Finally, the body was located in the water and recovered by a Guardia Civil vessel, which transported it to the San Cristóbal dock. Funeral services took charge of the body.
A Seamless Emergency Response
CECOES 112 mobilised a total of eight resources to address the emergency. In addition to the SUC ambulances, the rescue helicopter from the Emergency and Rescue Group (GES), Maritime Rescue, the Guardia Civil, the National Police, the Local Police, and the Fire Extinguishing, Rescue and Salvage Service of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria intervened. The Red Cross, which had already acted in the initial rescue, also collaborated in the operation.
The National Police have initiated proceedings to clarify the exact circumstances of the incident. Although everything points to an accident due to strong currents, no hypothesis is ruled out. La Laja beach, frequently visited by bathers, did not have a no-swimming flag at the time of the incident, according to witnesses.
Recommendations in Light of the Waves
The tragedy has reopened the debate on safety at the capital's beaches. The Security Department of the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria City Council reminds the importance of respecting the indications of lifeguards and flags. On days of intense waves, like that of Tuesday, it is advised to exercise extreme caution and not to swim in unmonitored areas.
This incident occurs just days after another bather was seriously injured at the same beach. The average number of drownings in the Canary Islands during 2025 was 45 fatalities, according to the Association for the Prevention of Drownings (APLA). Authorities insist that prevention is the best tool to avoid further losses.
The rescued girl remains admitted to the Materno Infantil, where she is recovering well. She is expected to be discharged in the coming hours. Meanwhile, the educational and community members of the La Laja neighbourhood have expressed their sorrow for the deceased girl, whose identity has not been revealed at the family's request.
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