A 12-year-old child tragically passed away after encountering difficulties in the sea off the coast of a Spanish island.

Emergency services responded to a distress call at La Laja Beach, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, on Tuesday, July 21, around 1:36 pm. They were alerted to two individuals in distress in the water. Various emergency vehicles and personnel, including medical ambulances, rescue helicopters, and ground support units from the Spanish Red Cross, Maritime Rescue, Civil Guard, police, and fire crews, swiftly arrived at the scene.

Upon arrival, Red Cross beach rescue personnel successfully rescued an 11-year-old child from the sea. The minor was then transported to the University Maternal and Child Hospital of the Canary Islands in a basic life support ambulance. The child’s condition remains undisclosed. Simultaneously, a search operation was launched by land, sea, and air to locate the second missing minor. Tragically, the child’s body was found in the water and taken to the San Cristóbal dock by a Civil Guard vessel.

The National Police are currently conducting an investigation into the incident.

La Laja beach, situated in the capital of Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is one of the four beaches in the area. It is primarily frequented by local residents rather than tourists.

In a separate tragic incident, a mother and her daughter lost their lives on West Mersea beach in Essex. Essex Police confirmed the deaths of Shelina Rahman, 41, and her daughter Samiha, 15, who encountered difficulties in the water on Mersea Island on Wednesday, July 22. The mother and daughter had attempted to rescue Samiha’s seven-year-old cousin but were swept away by the high tide. Despite the courageous efforts of beachgoers, Shelina and Samiha were pronounced dead at the scene. The young boy remains in critical condition at a hospital.