Fourth death reported in Tenerife wave incident; search for missing person continues
Emergency teams in Tenerife are continuing to search for a missing person after a powerful wave struck the natural pool of Isla Cangrejo on Sunday, leaving four people dead and several others injured.
Civil Guard and Maritime Rescue units have maintained an extensive land, sea, and air operation since the incident, which occurred on the Los Gigantes coast in the municipality of Santiago del Teide. The Civil Guard released images on Monday showing boats, helicopters, divers from the GEAS unit, and local police personnel combing the area. Maritime Rescue has deployed the Helimer 201 helicopter and the Salvamar Menkalinan vessel to assist.
The tragedy unfolded shortly after 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, when a sudden wave swept through the natural pool. The CECOES 112 emergency service activated a major response, including two helicopters, multiple ambulances from the Canary Islands emergency service, lifeguards on jet skis, firefighters, the Civil Guard, and local police.
Three people were found dead at the scene. A fourth victim — a woman who had been transferred to a hospital with critical injuries — died later that night, the Canary Islands government confirmed. According to local authorities, two of the deceased were Romanian tourists and another was Slovakian, though these details have not yet been officially confirmed.
Another person sustained moderate injuries and was taken to Hospiten Sur, while several others with minor injuries were treated on-site.
The Isla Cangrejo natural pool had been closed and cordoned off since Friday, after the regional government issued a pre-alert for hazardous coastal conditions affecting several islands. Warning signs in Spanish, English, and German were posted to alert visitors of the high waves, forecast to reach up to four meters.
Despite the closure, many people — including numerous tourists — continued to enter the area, Santiago del Teide mayor Emilio Navarro said. He noted that around 20 people of various nationalities were at the site when the wave struck. Some individuals reportedly bypassed barriers by forcing them open or slipping underneath.
The municipality has declared two days of official mourning. Navarro added that social media images of the beauty spot often attract visitors even when access is prohibited, and that high tide had occurred roughly an hour before the fatal wave.
As of Monday afternoon, the search for the missing person remains active but has not yet produced results.
