Near-Drowning at Mogán Beach: Man Airlifted to Hospital in Critical Condition

On Friday afternoon, April 10, 2026, at approximately 5:43pm, the CECOES 112 emergency coordination centre received an alert from Playa de Puerto Rico in Mogán. A man of around 40 years had been pulled from the water showing severe signs of drowning.

Helicopter Evacuation to Hospital Insular

The medical coordinator of the Servicio de Urgencias Canario (SUC) immediately activated a rescue helicopter, an advanced life support ambulance and a basic life support ambulance. After initial treatment and stabilisation on the beach, the man was airlifted to the Hospital Universitario Insular de Gran Canaria. His condition is described as critical.

Firefighters from the Consorcio de Emergencias and Civil Protection officers secured the helicopter landing on the beach. Mogán's Local Police took over the investigation into the circumstances.

20 Drowning Deaths in the Canaries in 2026

The incident is part of a worrying pattern. In the first months of 2026 alone, around 20 people have died by drowning in the Canary Islands. During Semana Santa in late March and early April, there were four serious drowning incidents across three islands — including the death of a 15-year-old Norwegian tourist off the coast of Mogán. 95 per cent of drowning victims in the first three months of the year entered the water while pre-alerts or alerts for coastal phenomena were active.