A British brother and sister who drowned at a beach in northeastern Spain have been identified as 13-year-old Ameiya Del Brocco and her 11-year-old brother Ricardo Junior.
Their father, Ricardo Senior, who had also gone into the water, was rescued by emergency services during the family holiday in Salou, Catalonia, on Tuesday.
The children, affectionately known as Maya and Jubs, were described by their cousin Holly Marquis-Johnson as “two beautiful, bright, and deeply loved children, taken far too soon.” She added, “The pain their family is feeling is unimaginable.”
“Maya was intelligent, thoughtful, and growing into a strong young woman,” she said. “Ricardo Junior was playful, kind, and always smiling. They brought so much love, laughter, and energy into the lives of everyone around them. Their loss has left an unbearable silence not just for their parents, but for their whole family, who were incredibly close.”
The children’s aunt, Kayla Jasvinder Del-Brocco, told BirminghamLive that her niece and nephew had been caught in strong currents. “They went swimming with their dad because they loved the beach,” she said. “Their mum told them not to be long and took their younger sibling to the bathroom. When she returned, she couldn’t see anyone. That’s when the nightmare began.”
Emergency services were called to Llarga Beach near Tarragona shortly after 8:45 p.m. on Tuesday. Ricardo Senior remains in hospital after being pulled from the water unconscious.
Jose Luis Gargallo, head of Salou’s local police, said: “Three people were struggling in the water—a father and his two children, who were British. When they were brought out, the boy and girl, aged 11 and 13, showed no signs of life. Despite attempts to revive them, they couldn’t be saved. The father was rescued thanks to emergency services, though he had swallowed a lot of water and was exhausted.”
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of the two British children who died in Spain and are in contact with local authorities.”
A fundraiser has been set up by Marquis-Johnson to help cover repatriation costs.
