Storm Norman batters Spain leaving four people dead in two coastal areas

In one incident, a 30-year-old man died while trying to rescue a teenager from the sea who also lost his life

Lucía López Pérez / Colpisa

Tarragona / Asturias

Thursday, 28 March 2024, 19:04

Storm Nelson, which has hit Spain over the last week, has left its mark this Holy Thursday with mourning in two coastal areas of the country. Four people, two in Asturias and two in Tarragona, have drowned in the past few hours as a result of the bad weather.

In the city of Tarragona, a 30-year-old man died while trying to rescue a minor who had fallen into the sea and who also died. The teenager went into the water while he was with some friends on Miracle beach and the rescuer, a German man who was taking a walk with his wife in the area, jumped in to try and pull him out, according to Diari de Tarragona. One of the victims was rescued at 3pm, still alive but in a very serious condition, who died later, and ten minutes later the other victim was pulled out of the water.

The incident happened in an area near the area known as Fortí de la Reina. Spain's maritime rescue sent the Helimer 221 helicopter and a vessel to the area, while Bombers de la Generalitat sent a helicopter from its base in Sabadell with firefighters from the specialised underwater unit of the GRAE - Grup d'Actuacions Especials - as well as other teams on land. The maritime units of the Mossos regional police force and the Guardia Civil also went to the scene of the incident.

But the Tarragona incident was not the first fatal incident of its type on this dark day on the coastline of Spain. Late in the morning, in Asturias, a woman and a man died in separate accidents after being swept into the sea after apparently being hit by high waves.

The 112 emergency service coordination centre received the first alert at 12.59pm. A caller reported that a woman had fallen into the sea in the port of Cudillero and was being dragged onto the rocks. While the rescue services were being mobilised, another call reported that the woman had been rescued by a boat that was taking her to the port. The woman was unconscious and resuscitation manoeuvres were being carried out. The SAMU ambulance service sent a primary care team from Cudillero and the medical team and mobile ICU ambulance from Avilés to the scene. The medical staff performed advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation for more than an hour, but in the end they could only confirm his death.

The second tragedy in Asturias happened in San Esteban, in Muros de Nalón. 112 call handlers received a report that a man had fallen into the sea at 1.01pm. The Asturias fire rescue group on board an air ambulance rescued the lifeless body of the victim from the estuary, who had fallen into the water at the breakwater, using a 30-metre long winch line.

The corpse was taken to the breakwater, where the Guardia Civil took charge of the formalities for the removal of the body.

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