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A huge search in Lanzarote came to a heartbreaking close on Tuesday January 27 when divers found the body of a young American tourist missing since Sunday. The 21-year-old, one of four students from Madrid aged 19 to 21, was swept into the sea by a massive wave at Los Charcones, a rocky spot in the south of the island popular for its natural pools.

 

Yesterday morning, specialist divers from the Guardia Civil’s GEAS (Grupo Especial de Actividades Subacuáticas) underwater unit located the body around 20 metres from where the group was hit. Salvamento Marítimo confirmed the sad news on X.

 

The incident unfolded on Sunday January 25, despite a road closure and barrier at Los Charcones. The four friends had made their way there on foot when a powerful wave struck, just as weather warnings predicted swells over five metres along the Canary Islands coast. Bathing was banned due to the dangerous conditions.

 

Three of the young men made it to safety. Two were left on the rocks with minor injuries and didn’t need hospital treatment. The third was winched to safety by helicopter around 800 metres offshore. But their friend vanished under the waves, prompting an intense three-day operation with boats, a GES helicopter, two GEAS dive teams, firefighters and a thermal camera drone from Yaiza’s Policía Local.

 

Los Charcones draws visitors for its dramatic coastline, especially on social media, but emergency services have long warned of its dangers. Rough seas and sudden swells have caught out swimmers and sightseers before, even with clear alerts in place.

 

 

 

Images: Salvamento Marítimo/X.com