Tragedy as Brit woman, 32, dies after being swept into water by a wave in Canary Islands tourist hotspot
A BRITISH woman has died after being swept into the sea by a wave in the Canary Islands.
Three people who were sat near her at the time also ended up in the water after the wave hit near the famous Caves of Ajuy.
The 32-year-old died while the three others managed to reach safety after swimming back to shore.
Two local fisherman and an off-duty firefighter tried to save her but their attempts were unsuccessful.
The surviving three, aged between 18 and 26, were given medical attention after the incident.
Another witness ran to a nearby village to grab emergency equipment including lifebuoys.
The unnamed woman was pulled from the water on a small private boat as emergency responders rushed to the scene.
After the boat reached the shore she was pronounced dead.
All four people caught up in the dangerous waters had been staying at the same hotel in Corralejo on the north-east coast of Fuerteventura.
Local man Lucas Quesada, who tried to help rescue the woman, said: “The wave came in and swept away all four tourists who were sat in an area we call El Muellito.”
Another bystandered who offered their help said: “There was nothing we could do to save her. When we reached her she was face-down in the water.”
The horror incident unfolded around 8pm on Thursday night.
An emergency response team spokesperson said: “A 32-year-old woman has died at Ajuy in the municipality of Pajara.
“The alarm was received yesterday at 8.26pm, with the alert saying various people had fallen into the sea.
“An emergency response was activated immediately. Three of those affected were able to get out of the water and the fourth, a woman, was rescued by officials from the Fuerteventura Council’s Emergency Service and a private boat.
“Ambulance staff confirmed she had died when she reached dry land and assisted the other three people, aged between 18 and 26.”
Fuerteventura is a popular holiday destination with Brits.
Ajuy’s sea caves are on the west coast of the island and are one of its main attractions.
Thousands of tourists visit them each year and the sea surrounding them can get very choppy.
Another tourist, 23, almost died in March near the caves and had to be rescued by an emergency chopper.
She was pulled from the water after nearly an hour and although suffering from hypothermia, survived.
Reports at the time said the young woman ignored warning signs around a particular area that had been marked out of bounds due to a storm.
She was reportedly taking selfies with a man, 25, as 20ft waves were crashing against the coast and swept them off their feet.