Three People Drown in Fuerteventura This Year

First‑Quarter Overview

The Canary Islands closed the first quarter of 2026 with 19 drowning deaths, a 36 % increase compared with the same period in 2025 (14 deaths), according to data compiled by the water‑safety association “Canarias, 1500 km of Coast.”

During these three months, the total number of victims in aquatic accidents reached 50 people, 25 % more than the previous year (40). The breakdown is:

• 19 fatalities (all by drowning)
• 3 people in critical condition
• 5 seriously injured
• 5 moderately injured
• 8 lightly injured
• 10 rescues without injuries

Details of the Fatalities

• 95 % of the deaths were caused by submersion after entering the sea during pre‑alert or alert conditions issued by the Canary Islands government because of adverse coastal phenomena.
• 9 of the victims were adults, 3 of them over 60 years old.
• 13 were men and 6 were women.

Nationalities of the 19 deceased:

• Germans – 2
• American – 1
• Venezuelan – 1
• Belgian – 1
• Norwegian – 1
• Unspecified foreign nationals – 2
• Spaniards – 3

Activities at the time of the incident:

• “Other” (fell into water after a wave, slip from a pier, cliff, promenade, or while practicing sports) – 7
• Bathers – 6
• Divers – 2
• Fishermen – 2
• Unknown activity – 2

Geographic Distribution

• Tenerife leads with 8 deaths.
• Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, and El Hierro each recorded 3 fatalities.
• Lanzarote and La Gomera had 1 death each.
• La Palma and La Graciosa reported no deaths.

Time and Location of Accidents

• 53 % of the fatal incidents occurred in the afternoon, 21 % in the morning, and 5 % at night.
• 58 % happened on beaches, followed by ports and coastal zones (22 %), natural pools (14 %), and swimming pools (6 %).

March Highlights

March accounted for 5 of the 19 deaths, including the first victim of the year: a 15‑year‑old Norwegian girl who drowned on the coast of Mogán (Gran Canaria). The month also ended with:

• 1 person in critical condition
• 2 seriously injured
• 2 lightly injured

Study and Sponsors

The figures were compiled from official emergency sources—112 Canary Islands, the Civil Guard, National Police, Maritime Rescue, Local Police, Firefighters, and Civil Protection.

The study is a project of the association “Canarias, 1500 km of Coast”, sponsored by:

• The Gran Canaria Island Council
• The Elder Museum of Science and Technology
• The Canary Islands Government’s Department of Territorial Policy, Cohesion and Water
• The Vice‑Department of Physical Activity and Sports (Education Ministry)
• The Tourism and City of the Sea departments of the Las Palmas City Council
• Binter (airline)

“The rise in drowning deaths underscores the need for heightened public awareness and stricter adherence to marine alerts,” the association’s report concludes.