A teenage girl from Britain is in critical condition after being revived on a Costa Brava beach following a near-drowning incident. Reports indicate that the 14-year-old was enjoying her final swim before heading back home when the incident occurred.
The unnamed teenager remained in critical condition on Monday afternoon at Josep Trueta Hospital in Girona, Catalonia. She experienced cardiac arrest after being swept out to sea by a wave at Lloret de Mar on the Spanish Costa Brava around 11:45 a.m. on Saturday.
The girl was part of a group of schoolchildren from London on a study trip staying at a hotel in the Costa Brava resort of Lloret de Mar. The group was scheduled to return to the UK the same day when the incident unfolded.
Local police were dispatched to the beach to warn the youngsters about the rough sea conditions after witnesses reported their presence near the shoreline. Upon arrival, officers observed a wave carrying two individuals, including the teenage girl, out to sea. Despite efforts by the police to reach her, she was found unconscious. Firefighters also joined in the rescue operation, using a rope to assist everyone out of the water.
Video footage of the intense rescue shows the British girl stranded about 500 feet from the shore before being brought to safety. CPR was administered for approximately 30 minutes on the beach before ambulance workers transported her on a stretcher to the hospital. Once she was taken away, the area was reopened to the public.
Authorities have initiated legal proceedings for potential negligent injury, which will be reviewed by a court in Blanes near Lloret. However, local reports suggest that the incident is being treated as an accident, absolving the tutors from any responsibility.
Witnesses, including Carme Rigart and Cintiha Schenfeld, praised the quick and effective response of the local police, fire brigade, and Civil Protection workers in saving the girl’s life during the harrowing incident.