At 19:45 yesterday evening, Tuesday 4th August, lifeguards saved a seventy year old man from drowning after he had a heart attack in the waters of Playa de Las Canteras📍.
Un hombre de 70 años fue trasladado a última hora de ayer en estado crítico tras ser recuperado de una parada cardiorrespiratoria en Las Canteras en Las Palmas de #GranCanaria
— 112 Canarias (@112canarias) August 5, 2026
Más información ⬇️https://t.co/gVlWqSED2v pic.twitter.com/S3jeIysofv
Rescatada una persona con síntomas de ahogamiento en la playa de Las Canteras, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Permanece en el hospital. pic.twitter.com/UMAtkw5NGP
— Televisión Canaria Noticias (@RTVCCanarias) August 4, 2026
The incident happened near the northernmost area of the beach near La Puntilla📍. The gentleman is said to have suffered from a “cardiorespiratory arrest”. He was given CPR and made stable by medics before being taken to Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Dr Negrín Las Palmas📍.
“Two ambulances from the Canary Islands Emergency Service (SUC), a Basic Life Support (SVB) and a medicalized Advanced Life Support (SVA) unit, whose professional team continued intensive medical assistance in the area, were rushed to the scene of the incident.” Browser translated citation from Gran Canaria TV.
Where it happened?
The Canary Islands records 39 deaths from drowning until July, 30% more than in 2025
The Canary Islands recorded 39 deaths from drowning between January and July 2026, which represents an increase of 30% compared to the same period last year, when 30 fatalities were counted. The data, prepared by the Canary Islands association, 1500 Km of Coast, also reflect an increase in water accidents in the Archipelago during the first seven months of the year
In total, 129 people were affected by accidents on the coasts and aquatic facilities of the Canary Islands. In addition to the 39 deaths, 12 people were injured in critical condition, 17 seriously, 19 moderate and 19 minor, while 23 were rescued without suffering damage.
The association warns that more than half of the fatalities (51%) accessed the sea when the Government of the Canary Islands had activated a pre-alert or an alert for adverse coastal phenomena. Likewise, 42% of all accidents recorded during this period occurred under these conditions, a data that, according to the entity, shows that recklessness remains one of the main causes of drowning in the Islands.
Headline and browser translated citations from La Provincia.
Canarias Lifeguards Agree Historic Salary Increase and Reduced Working Hours
Lifeguards in the Canary Islands are close to having their first regional collective bargaining agreement after a preliminary deal between UGT and employers, which includes a salary increase of up to 46.5% and a 37.5-hour work week.
Lifeguards working at beaches, swimming pools, and natural spaces in the Canary Islands are nearing the finalization of their first regional collective bargaining agreement. A preliminary agreement reached between UGT and employers includes an accumulated salary increase of up to 46.5%, a reduction of the working week to 37.5 hours, and general improvements in the working conditions for this group, considered essential for safety on the archipelago’s coasts.
According to information from UGT, the gross monthly salary could reach 1,843 euros. The initial planned increase is 30% in the base salary, with an annual update of 3%. By the end of the agreement’s validity, the accumulated increase will reach 46.5% for lifeguards, while boat masters will see a 55% increase and team leaders a 62.76%.
Headline and citations from La Voz Canaria.
“Many colleagues have had to leave because they can’t live”: the job insecurity behind the deficit of lifeguards in the Canary Islands
“People go to the beach for a couple of hours and that’s it. We stayed there for up to ten hours working,” David Molina, spokesman for the Union of Lifeguards of the Canary Islands (USIC), explained to Atlántico Hoy. During that time, he adds, professionals remain exposed to the sun, wind, cold and water, not always with adequate surveillance posts or with the necessary rotations.
According to Molina, the work of the lifeguard and his responsibility contrasts with the renumeration. “So far we are collecting the minimum wage because we do not have our own agreement,” he says. The pre-agreement reached on July 22 to improve the salary conditions of the sector by up to 45% is a first step, but the spokesman maintains that the problem goes far beyond the payroll.On the other hand, according to the estimate of Sebastián Quintana, president of the Canary Islands association, 1,500 Km from the Coast, the archipelago would need between 1,000 and 1,500 additional rescuers to cover all its bathing points. However, representatives of the sector question whether this lack should be explained only as a lack of available professionals.
Headline and browser translated citations from Atlántico Hoy Las Palmas.
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