An 11-year-old boy and his 13-year-old sister from Britain drowned while swimming at Salou, a popular Spanish resort on the Mediterranean coast. Their father survived after rushing into the water to try to save them.
Emergency services responded to Platja Llarga beach near Hotel Negresco just before 9 p.m. on Tuesday. Though all three were pulled from the water alive, rescuers—including police and firefighters—could not revive the children.
Reports say the siblings were swimming about 100 meters from shore in a rocky area when rough waves trapped them. Their father attempted to help but also needed rescuing.
The tragedy happened hours after a 54-year-old German tourist drowned nearby in Cambrils. Today, Salou observed a minute of silence at 11:45 a.m. in honor of the victims, whose names have not yet been released.
A UK Foreign Office spokesperson said they were supporting the family and working with Spanish authorities.
Spanish beaches use a flag system—green, yellow, or red—to indicate water conditions. Both Salou and Cambrils had yellow flags at the time, warning swimmers, especially children, to be cautious.
Cambrils Mayor Oliver Klein expressed deep sadness over the deaths but stressed that beaches were safe and well-monitored. “However, swimmers must take responsibility—heed the flags and lifeguards’ advice. These warnings save lives,” he said.
Since mid-June, 16 people have drowned on Catalan beaches—five more than last year—with three additional deaths in pools. Recent incidents include a two-year-old British boy drowning in Ibiza, a four-year-old in Mijas, and a three-year-old girl in Alicante.
On average, around 350 people drown annually in Spain, mostly at unguarded beaches or rivers.
Correction: An earlier version of this article mistakenly identified the siblings as two boys. They were, in fact, a brother and sister.
