A 50-year-old man died on Monday after being rescued from the sea in Costa Calma, Pájara, showing signs of drowning. This incident raises the number of drowning fatalities in the Canary Islands to 60 for 2026, following the report by the association “Canarias, 1500 Km de Costa,” which recorded 59 deaths between January and October.
Emergency services received the alert at 10:37 am. Medical personnel from the Canarian Emergency Service (SUC) attended to the man, who was in cardiac arrest, and performed advanced resuscitation efforts, but unfortunately, these were unsuccessful.
The response involved the SUC, Pájara firefighters, local police, and the Civil Guard, who are conducting the necessary inquiries.
### Drowning Statistics
During October alone, the association noted 19 individuals affected by aquatic accidents: four fatalities, three severe injuries, three moderate injuries, and three minor injuries, with six rescues unharmed. Overall, 202 victims were reported for the year up to that month, including 59 fatalities.
The highest number of drowning incidents occurred in Tenerife, with 21 deaths, nearly double that of Fuerteventura, which had 12. Gran Canaria reported 11 deaths, Lanzarote eight, El Hierro four, La Gomera two, and La Palma one, while La Graciosa had none.
### Alerts and Minor Victims
Significantly, 39% of drowning victims (23 individuals) and 29% of total casualties (59) entered the sea during pre-alerts and alerts issued by the Canarian government due to adverse coastal conditions. Advocates highlight that most drowning incidents happen when swimmers ignore red flag warnings.
In 2026, eight minors drowned in the archipelago, with five occurring in the summer months. This marks the highest recorded child drowning rate in at least a decade, according to “Canarias, 1500 Km de Costa.”
### Foreign Nationals Among Victims
Of the 59 drowning victims, 21 were foreign nationals from 11 different countries, representing one in three deaths. However, the actual number of cases may be higher, as nationality information was unavailable for 35 victims.
Among those whose nationality is known, the fatalities included three Germans, three Britons, three Spaniards, two French, and two Equatorial Guineans, alongside one each from the United States, Venezuela, Belgium, Norway, Italy, the Netherlands, and a non-specified Asian country.
