Two men aged 60 and 46 lost their lives after drowning at Capellans Beach in Salou, Tarragona, on Thursday. A 15-year-old boy, who is the son of one of the men, sustained serious injuries and was transported in critical condition to Juan XXIII Hospital in Tarragona. [Source: Generalitat Civil Protection]
Authorities reported that at approximately 3:35 p.m. a group of lifeguards notified the emergency number 112 after swimmers in the rocky portion of the beach encountered difficulties in the water. Lifeguards acted quickly, finding and removing three individuals from the sea: the two adults, the 15-year-old boy, and the accompanying 46-year-old man, all identified as Romanian nationals. [Source: Generalitat Civil Protection]
Lifeguards initiated resuscitation efforts immediately and coordinated with the Emergency Medical System as it was alerted and moved toward the scene. The SEM deployed six ground units, a command vehicle, and a medical helicopter to provide advanced life support and rapid transport. Despite ongoing CPR and medical intervention, the two men could not be saved, while the boy and the accompanying man were stabilized and transported for further treatment. [Source: Generalitat Civil Protection]
The Mossos d’Esquadra launched an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident, and local police secured the beach area to allow SEM helicopter access and to safeguard the public. [Source: Generalitat Civil Protection]
Els Capellans Beach is a regulated shoreline, and during the incident the weather warning flags were changed from yellow to red in response to strong westerly winds that affected water conditions and visibility. Beachgoers were advised to stay out of the water while emergency crews operated. [Source: Generalitat Civil Protection]
Safety authorities stressed the importance of following lifeguard instructions and heed the warning flags that indicate water quality and current hazards. The investigation will review lifeguard reports, equipment readiness, and the sequence of events that led to the distress at Capellans Beach, with the aim of improving response times and prevention measures for similar situations in the future. [Source: Generalitat Civil Protection]