Swimmers defy Costa’s regulations. The organisation ‘Canary Islands, 1500 Km of Coastline‘, focused on drowning prevention and aquatic accidents, has shared a video on Wednesday 17th of April, showing a recent incident at Charco del Tancón in Tenerife. The nine-second clip captures the moment when a man disregards safety warnings and experiences a dangerous mishap.
The message of the video is clear: “Tancón in Tenerife is in the news again due to recklessness. Despite lifeguards’ warnings, these young people are risking their lives. Please, stop reckless actions, let’s avoid more sea tragedies. Let’s be cautious and use common sense.” This emphasises the risks of disobeying safety signs and jumping into the sea from rocks, especially in a place known for its danger.
The specific incident occurred last Monday when a foreign tourist crashed into the rocks while diving into the sea, an area that has been prohibited due to its high risk.
The interior of the Tancón Cave. | AG / Daniel Millet
Charco del Tancón, located in Santiago del Teide, became famous on social media for its stunning beauty, with turquoise waters that made it a highly photographed destination. However, this popularity conceals its danger; in fact, five people have lost their lives at this location in recent years.
The Santiago del Teide Town Hall has long restricted access to this natural area, placing signs warning about the danger of rock falls and prohibiting access to prevent drownings. Despite these measures, some people still ignore the warnings and access the site, putting their lives at risk.
The Tancón pool, actually a blowhole, in Santiago del Teide, is a paradisiacal spot on the southwest coast of Tenerife where five people have lost their lives in the last four years, according to data from the Canarias 1,500km of coastline platform.
The latest fatal victim is a young man around 27 years old, who was taking a dip on Thursday afternoon with three other people, one of whom, a woman, was rescued and admitted in critical condition to the Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria University Hospital.
The body of the young man was located and recovered on Friday by the Underwater Activities Group (GEAS) of the Civil Guard.
Tancón is a blowhole, a cave formed by wave erosion with an opening in the ceiling, through which air and water under pressure enter and exit, very popular despite swimming being prohibited on site, as various informative signs remind at the entrances.
But that doesn’t matter to enthusiastic bathers seeking experiences attracted by the crystal-clear waters, the contrast of lights and shadows, and the wild beauty of this environment, highly popularised on social media.
Marina Rivers
The well-known Spanish influencer Marina Rivera Saldaña, also known as Marina Rivers, was criticized in September for a photo she shared on her social media platforms. Over time, Marina has been involved in various controversies on social media, including statements about influencers and buying a house. However, this time her action involves significant risk to her safety.
In the photos, the content creator poses in a bikini and, in the second image, is seen swimming in the waters of the Canary Islands.
What Marina may not have known or overlooked is that the El Tancón cave is not a safe area for swimming, and its access is prohibited. It is a “blowhole,” a natural formation where currents are unpredictable and difficult for rescue teams to intervene. In the past, several tourists have lost their lives at this location due to dangerous conditions.
