Already 25 drowning deaths in Tenerife is the grim result of the number of unfortunate people who lost their lives in swimming waters.
Publication date: 12 April 2025
The ninth edition of the Mapa de Accidentes Acuáticos, compiled by the association Canarias, 1,500 kilómetros de Costa, reveals that so far 72 people have been involved in swimming-related incidents across 46 beaches in 18 municipalities.
More than in 2024
Tenerife holds the regrettable first place in the Canary Islands in terms of the number of drownings and people involved in accidents at sea. According to data from the Mapa de Accidentes Acuáticos, which has been compiled for nine consecutive years by the association Canarias, 1,500 kilómetros de Costa, 25 people lost their lives on beaches, in natural pools or tidal basins on the island. In addition, 43 people were injured with varying degrees of severity, and another seven had to be rescued after getting into trouble along the coast of Tenerife. The number of fatalities increased by one compared to the previous year.
Locations
In total, incidents were recorded at 46 bathing spots spread across 18 municipalities – more than half of the 31 municipalities that make up Tenerife. Santa Cruz and Arona were the locations with the highest number of fatalities, four each in the past year. In the capital city of Tenerife, the fatal incidents occurred on the beaches of Las Teresitas (2) and Almáciga (2).
In Arona, the deaths took place on the beaches of La Arenita, La Ballena and Las Vistas, as well as one diver whose exact location of death along the coast is not specified. In the municipalities of Santiago del Teide, Granadilla de Abona, La Laguna, and El Rosario, two fatalities were recorded each.
Dangerous El Tancón
In Granadilla, the fatal incidents occurred on the beaches of El Cabezo and La Tejita, while in Santiago del Teide, the deaths took place in the natural pools of Los Gigantes and in the tidal pool of Isla Cangrejo. In the notorious pool area of El Tancón, where swimming is prohibited, no deaths occurred last year, although two people were injured. In total, seven injuries and one rescue were reported in the coastal areas of this municipality.
Additionally, El Rosario mourned two fatalities on the coast of Bocacangrejo. In La Laguna, two people lost their lives in the pools of Bajamar and Punta del Hidalgo.
Activities on the water
The report shows that a total of 186 water-related accidents occurred last year across 124 beaches, coastal spots, and swimming pools spread across 47 of the 88 municipalities of the archipelago. These resulted in 72 fatalities, 9 people critically injured, 15 seriously injured, 52 moderately injured, and 14 slightly injured. Additionally, 24 people were rescued unharmed.
Of the deceased, 67% (48 people) were swimmers, 14% (10 people) were boat crew members or passengers, or people who fell into the water due to slipping, rough waves, etc. 8% (6 people) were divers, 7% (5 people) were fishermen, and 4% (3 people) were watersport participants.
Foreigners
Furthermore, 62% of the deceased were foreigners from seven different nationalities. Most accidents occurred on beaches (52%), followed by harbours and coastal areas (25%), natural pools (14%) and, to a lesser extent, regular swimming pools (9%).
The Mapa de Ahogamientos de Canarias, along with an audiovisual campaign made up of 16 television spots offering prevention tips (recorded in six languages and distributed via hotels and universities in various countries), is a pioneering project in Spain and the European Union. The reliability of the data is high, as 90% is based on official figures from 112 Canarias, the Guardia Civil, the Maritime Rescue Service, the Canary Islands Emergency Services, local police forces, and other safety and emergency-related institutions.
Diario de Avisos © Photography
Already 25 drowning deaths in Tenerife ©
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