Brit dies while scuba diving off Spanish island of Lanzarote
A British man died while scuba diving at a popular beach off the Spanish island of Lanzarote.
The unnamed 60-year-old got into trouble in the water on the south of the island before midday on Monday.
It is thought he suffered a cardiac arrest. A lifeguard tried to help him but was unable to save his life.
The tragedy was initially reported as involving a ‘foreign man’, but his nationality was confirmed this morning.
The manager of the local Security and Emergency Consortium, Enrique Espinosa, said: ‘The Brit had all the correct permits to be able to dive but diving is a high-risk sport and anything that goes wrong can be fatal.’
A post-mortem has already taken place, but autopsy results are seldom made public in Spain.
It is believed the man had health issues, but it is not clear what these were.
It is also unknown whether he was diving on his own or with a group.
Qualified scuba divers are usually discouraged from diving alone, as it means there is no help available if they get into trouble.
The beach where the pensioner died, Playa Flamingo, is a popular location for divers – both experienced and beginner – because of its calm waters and abundance of fish.
Three British divers also died in the Canary Islands in 2017.
Two – including ex paratrooper John Walker, 54, from Consett in County Durham – had been preparing to visit the underwater Atlantic Museum off Lanzarote.
The third person was named as fitness enthusiast Justine Barringer, 44.
He died after getting into difficulties off Veneguera Beach in Gran Canaria.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.