Heroic tragedy in Tarragona: Man dies trying to save teen from sea

A 32-year-old German holidaymaker in Spain died while attempting to rescue a drowning teenager off the Mediterranean coast near Tarragona, to the southwest of Barcelona. Strong currents thwarted their efforts to reach the shore.

A teenager from La Floresta, who had gone to the beach with three friends – one aged 15 and two aged 14 – leapt into the water at Fortí de la Reina and found themselves unable to return.

As a police spokesperson reported, a 32-year-old man, relaxing by the sea, upon seeing the peril despite the turbulent waters, dived in to save the 16-year-old. However, vigorous waves barred their way back to solid ground.

Despite the deployment of two helicopters and rescue vessels to the location, both the German man and the teenager succumbed to the sea.

According to the "Diari de Tarragona" newspaper, relatives of both victims reached the coastline minutes after the mishap and were confronted with the heartbreak. A team of psychologists was dispatched to provide support to the bereaved families.

The Civil Guard Judicial Police of Tarragona have taken up the investigation. Officers have collected eyewitness accounts, including those from the teenager's three friends who are now at the Police Headquarters, and from others like the lifeguards who attempted a rescue.

At 5:30 PM GMT, Tarragona's mayor, Rubén Viñuales, made his way to the incident site and extended his sympathies to the families. He also reiterated that current weather conditions render the sea unsafe for swimming. On Wednesday, the Tarragona City Council's Civil Protection Department elevated the Municipal Action Plan (PAM) to an alert phase in response to strong sea swells.

The mayor highlighted that warnings about the dangerous currents are posted around the area in four languages – Catalan, Spanish, English, and Arabic. He suspects that these indicators suggest the deceased teenager may have jumped from the rocks.

Source: Diari de Tarragona