Emergency services successfully rescued a 12-year-old boy from the sea yesterday afternoon (Saturday) but haven’t been successful so far in finding the adult who was with him after, they were both swept into the sea by strong waves from a cave at Playa Rojas beach in El Sauzal, Tenerife.
The Emergency Services Coordination Centre (CECOES) reported that around 4:45pm, an off-duty National Police officer made an alert call, informing that two people, one of them a minor, had fallen into the sea due to the strong waves at the above-mentioned beach.
CECOES immediately activated the GES helicopter, Maritime Rescue, Firefighters, Local Police, the Guardia Civil, and SUC Ambulances, sending them to the location given.
According to the information provided by the off-duty policeman, both were swept away by the waves, the adult had collided with rocks, and the boy was swimming to get away from the breaking waves.
The helicopter was the first at the scene and located the child in the water, so the crew hoisted him onto the aircraft and flew him to a nearby platform paramedics were waiting to provide medical assistance. The child, suffering from hypothermia and moderate abrasions, was transported by ambulance to the HUC Hospital along with a woman who was experiencing anxiety.
Firefighters at the scene collaborated with health and rescue teams, but the rough waves and sea conditions prevented them from rescuing the other person, who, as reported to CECOES, had disappeared in one of the caves in the area.
The GES helicopter returned to the location where the affected person went missing until it was relieved by the Maritime Rescue helicopter, HELIMER, which continued the search without success.
A Maritime Rescue boat joined the sea search operation, and on land, agents from Local Police, Guardia Civil, Firefighters and medical staff all collaborated. Unfortunately, as night fell, they had to call off the search, but Guardia Civil agents stayed in the search area overnight, and the operation resumed at first light this morning, with the addition of the GEAS group.
