An 80-year-old woman has been taken to hospital after being rescued from the sea at a beach in Calpe, with the quick actions of fellow bathers helping to bring her to safety.
The incident happened on Wednesday, October 14, at Arenal-Bol beach, where two men helped bring the woman out of the water before emergency services arrived.
The woman was suffering from symptoms of drowning and required urgent medical attention. She was subsequently taken to Dénia Hospital for further treatment.
Bystanders step in to help
The rescue unfolded at Arenal-Bol, one of Calpe’s best-known beaches, when a swimmer noticed the woman in difficulty in the water.
According to local media reports, a 73-year-old retired man named Gabriel, who regularly swims at the beach, spotted the woman some distance from the shore and became concerned about her condition.
He swam towards her and helped bring her back towards the beach, with a British man named Brian joining the effort to get her safely onto the sand.
Meanwhile, a Spanish couple on the beach raised the alarm by contacting the emergency services.
The combined efforts of the beachgoers helped ensure the woman was brought ashore so that medical teams could attend to her.
Ambulances and police respond
Emergency services were mobilised following the alert, with medical teams and local police attending the scene.
According to reports, a medical team from the SAMU emergency service treated the woman and stabilised her before she was transferred to Dénia Hospital in an ambulance.
The response was described as rapid, with the first emergency personnel reportedly arriving within minutes of the incident being reported.
The woman was receiving hospital care following the rescue. No further confirmed information about her condition has been established.
A reminder to take care in the sea
The incident highlights how quickly a swim can turn into an emergency, particularly when someone gets into difficulty away from the shoreline.
The actions of the two men who helped the woman demonstrate the importance of raising the alarm and getting assistance when a swimmer appears to be in trouble.
Anyone who spots a person in difficulty in the water should contact the emergency services immediately. Beachgoers should also be alert to changing sea conditions and avoid entering the water if they are unsure whether it is safe.