Two near drownings and one fatality yesterday in Tenerife's waters

[Janet]

I know many people who look at my own website and forums like this are winter visitors, and after today it's worth repeating the advice about cold water shock.

Two people are in hospital, one seriously ill, and a third is dead, after collapsing in the sea in south and west Tenerife yesterday. The first was a 79-year-old man who drowned at Playa de Troya just after midday. The man, who is said to have been a visitor, was found unconscious in the water and after being rescued by lifeguards was found to be in cardiac arrest. Despite the efforts of lifeguards and paramedics, however, he was unable to be resuscitated and sadly was declared dead at the scene.

The second incident was at Los Cristianos beach within three quarters of an hour., and involved an 84-year-old tourist who suffered a cardiac arrest in the water at a quarter to one at Los Cristianos beach. On  this occasion, thankfully, lifeguards and paramedics were able to resuscitate the bather at the scene. After he had been stabilized, he was transferred to Hospitén Sur where his condition is said not to be serious.

And finally, a 38-year-old German woman nearly drowned around 4.30pm at Playa La Arena, Santiago del Teide. Lifeguards pulled her out of the water and were trying to resuscitate her when ambulance and helicopter paramedics arrived. They stabilized her at the scene and then transferred her by helicopter to Candelaria hospital where her condition is said to be serious.

Figures released in August by the Real Federación Española de Salvamento y Socorrismo show that drownings increased in the first seven months of this year by some 20% throughout Spain, but almost doubled in the Canaries in the same period. The problem we have is that cold water shock causes cardiac arrest, and this can affect people even in water up to 25º, it's not just freezing water that is dangerous. And even though this is a sunny destination, the water around the Canaries doesn't get above 24°C (75°F) even in August. And so, regardless of the time of year, even in high summer, Tenerife's waters are technically cold. Bathers can get into difficulties within five minutes.

To be specific about symptoms, normal body temperature is 98.6º; shivering begins when the body temperature lowers to approximately 96.5º; amnesia and coordination problems begin to set in at approximately 94º, unconsciousness at 86º, and death, normally from cardiac arrest, at approximately 79º ... and 79º is 4º above our normal high season water temperatures!

I've written THIS page on how to stay safe in Tenerife's waters, including information on beach flags, rip tides, undertow, and cold water shock. Today could have seen three fatalities. That it was "just" one was sheer luck, and the way our luck is this year we're on double figures for deaths in the water here.

I'm in discussions with the consulate about an official campaign on this topic at some point, and thankfully the vice consul is of similar mind about this. But this is a drum I've been banging for some years, and so in the meanwhile, please just tell anyone who'll listen ... enjoy the water, but learn how to be safe while doing so.