The Canary Island of Tenerife was hit by strong winds and powerful, high waves on Saturday. The three reported deaths occurred in different locations on the island.
At one point, about ten people were swept away when a wave hit a pier in Puerto de la Cruz on the northern part of the island. Nine of the people were rescued, but one woman died after suffering a cardiac arrest. Three of the rescued people were seriously injured, reports El País .
“Thrown into the water”
Swede Christoffer Holmgren had just left the popular ocean pool in Puerto de la Cruz with his girlfriend and one-year-old son when the wave hit.
"It was terrible. We saw people being thrown into the water. We were only 30 meters away, you felt completely helpless," he tells Aftonbladet .
There were at least three lifeless people on the ground, and people were desperately trying to perform CPR before the ambulance arrived.
Earlier in the day, six French tourists were swept into the sea by a giant wave in northeastern Tenerife. Five of them are being treated in hospital, but their injuries are considered minor.
On Saturday afternoon, two deceased men were also found in the water along beaches on the northern and southern parts of the island. The circumstances there are unclear.
A total of at least 15 people were injured by the waves.
Difficult conditions
Local authorities had earlier this week issued warnings of difficult conditions at sea and along the coast, Spanish media reports.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has no information about injured or deceased Swedes. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, approximately 50,000 Swedish tourists are estimated to visit the Canary Islands during November. The embassy estimates that approximately 4,300 Swedes are resident there.
Just over 200 Swedes have registered on the Swedish list in the Canary Islands.
