A 12-year-old girl has tragically died from drowning after getting into difficulty in the sea at La Laja Beach in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria yesterday afternoon, Tuesday 21st July 2026.
An 11-year-old boy who was also caught in the water was rescued with minor injuries and taken to the Hospital Universitario Materno Infantil de Canarias for urgent treatment.
The Canary Islands Emergency and Security Coordination Centre (CECOES) received the alert at 1:35pm after reports that two children were in trouble in the sea, and immediately launched a large-scale search and rescue operation involving emergency teams by land, sea and air.
The 11-year-old was rescued from the water by Red Cross beach lifeguards, who provided first aid before he was transferred by the Canary Islands Emergency Service (SUC) to hospital.
Meanwhile, a search started for the girl who had disappeared in the water, using a GES helicopter, Maritime Rescue boat and jet ski, and a Guardia Civil boat, while the Red Cross, police, and other emergency personnel searched from the beach.
Body recovered from the sea
Eventually, rescue teams located the girl's body in the sea, but there was nothing paramedics could do and she was pronounced dead.
A Guardia Civil boat later transported her body to the harbour at San Cristóbal, where the appropriate procedures were carried out.
The National Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident and her body has been taken for autopsy to confirm the cause of death.
The tragedy serves as a reminder of the dangers of entering the sea when conditions are unsafe, especially when there are weather warnings for dangerous coastal conditions. Beach users are always urged to follow lifeguard advice, observe warning flags and avoid swimming when the sea is rough or dangerous.
