A British holidaymaker has died after going for a swim in the sea at a Tenerife beach. The 75-year-old was assisted by lifeguards after being pulled out of the water at El Duque beach in Costa Adeje in the south of the island around midday yesterday, January 20.

A doctor and a nurse from a nearby health centre continued to try to revive him along with paramedics when they arrived after it was confirmed he had gone into cardiac arrest. But they were unable to get the pensioner’s heart beating again and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The tourist was initially described as a 70-year-old foreigner. 

Well-placed sources confirmed today he was a 75-year-old British national who had celebrated his birthday less than a fortnight ago.

An autopsy was due to take place today, January 21, in the island capital Santa Cruz to determine if he had drowned or whether his death was linked to a health problem. 

It was not immediately clear this morning if he had been alone at the beach, an urban beach with a Blue Flag which is known for its strong sea currents, or was with family or friends. 

A spokesman for a regional government-run emergency response co-ordination centre said: “The man died after being rescued at El Duque beach when he had gone into cardiac arrest. He was initially assisted by lifeguards before ambulance staff together with a doctor and a nurse from a nearby health centre arrived and continued with CPR which proved unsuccessful.

“He was pronounced dead at the scene. The first calls came in just after 12.50pm yesterday. Local police assisted and officers from the National Police force are putting together a report for a local investigating court.”  

This comes after Tenerife became the centre of sea tragedies late last year, when the coastline was battered by waves during storms. 

Four people died and another three were injured on December 7 after being swept into the sea at a complex of natural pools on the Los Gigantes cliffs in the north-west of the island.

A month earlier, three people died and 15 were injured after being swept out to sea by high waves.

In another the same day, six French tourists also ended up in the ocean after being swept off their feet as they wave-watched in Roque de las Bodegas on the island’s north-east tip. Luckily they all survived.