German tourist dies attempting to save teen off Spanish coast

A 32-year-old German visiting Spain tragically died while attempting to save a drowning teenager off the coast of the Mediterranean Sea near Tarragona, which is located southwest of Barcelona. They were unable to return to shore due to strong currents.

The teenager, from La Floresta, went to the beach with three other teens—one aged 15 and two aged 14. The group was at Fortí de la Reina when the teenager jumped into the water and found himself in distress.

A police spokesperson reported that a 32-year-old man, who was resting by the water and saw the perilous situation despite the rough sea, bravely jumped in to save the 16-year-old. Unfortunately, strong waves thwarted their efforts to reach the shore.

Despite the rapid deployment of two helicopters and rescue boats to the location, both the German man and the teenager sadly drowned.

According to the "Diari de Tarragona" newspaper, relatives of the two victims arrived at the coast minutes after the accident, only to discover the heartbreaking news. A team of psychologists was promptly sent to the site to provide support to the bereaved relatives.

The Civil Guard Judicial Police of Tarragona are conducting an investigation into the incident. They have gathered testimonies from witnesses, including the three teenage friends of the victim who are at the Police Headquarters, as well as from the lifeguards who attempted the rescue.

The city's mayor visits the site

At 12:30 PM Eastern Time, Tarragona's mayor, Rubén Viñuales, was at the scene and extended his condolences to the relatives. He also underscored that the weather conditions at the time made it unsafe to enter the water. On Wednesday, the Civil Protection Department of the Tarragona City Council had raised the Municipal Action Plan (PAM) to an alert phase due to strong sea waves.

The mayor pointed out that the area is clearly marked with warnings about dangerous currents in four languages: Catalan, Spanish, English, and Arabic. He suggested that these signs indicate the minor likely jumped from the rocks.