Tragic Death of 12-Year-Old on Gran Canaria Beach Sparks Urgent Safety Warnings
A 12-year-old girl has drowned at La Laja beach in Gran Canaria, highlighting a spike in drowning incidents in the Canary Islands. So far this year, the islands have recorded 39 drowning deaths, including five minors, according to the platform “Canarias, 1,500 Km of Coast.”
Chano Quintana, the platform’s president, expressed deep concern over the rise in fatalities, particularly among children. He revealed that there have been around 140 aquatic accidents this year, mostly at beaches. Quintana stated that in nine out of ten cases involving minors, a lack of adult supervision was a contributing factor.
Quintana noted that this year’s number of child drownings exceeds the total reported for 2025, which included four deaths. During a press conference alongside Antonio Morales, the president of Gran Canaria’s Cabildo, they urged the public to be vigilant.
Quintana emphasised that return currents are a primary cause of drowning. He advised swimmers to stay calm if caught in such currents and to let themselves be carried out to sea before swimming to the side instead of trying to return straight to shore.
Morales underscored the importance of ongoing collaboration with the platform for awareness and prevention campaigns, noting that with 1,500 kilometres of coastline and millions of tourists annually, extra caution is essential at beaches and pools.
To mark World Drowning Prevention Day, the Gran Canaria Cabildo and Canary Islands Parliament buildings will be illuminated in blue this evening at 8 PM as a tribute to drowning victims.
