Story By: Jonathan Macias, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash

A 35-year-old woman has drowned on the first day a Spanish beach reopened since the coronavirus lockdown but no lifeguards were on duty.

The tragic accident took place in the town of El Campello in the province of Alicante in the Costa Blanca region popular with tourists in eastern Spain.

Local media report the 35-year-old woman, whose name has not been reported, died at 2:30 pm after she was rescued from the water by fellow bathers at the Carrer La Mar de Campello beach.

The woman was reportedly helped by the emergency services who managed to reanimate her on the sand before later transferring her to a hospital where she died.

Local authorities are investigating the accident as they believe she might have drowned when she became trapped in a whirlpool.

The accident happened on the first day beaches reopened in the town as it entered phase 2 of Spain’s plan to ease the coronavirus lockdown.

Reports say local authorities have warned the lifeguard service will not start until 17th June, two days after the summer season begins.

The Mayor of El Campello, Julio Oca, told local media: “The city of Alicante starts the [summer] season on 1st June and we start on the 15th, they are two weeks ahead of us.”

Local media reported a 22-year-old girl was also rescued on the beach of San Juan in Alicante at around 10:45 am when she had difficulties getting out of the water, while a 60-year-old woman and a five-year-old child were taken to hospital with drowning symptoms that same afternoon at the same beach.

The ViralTab page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.