32-year-old British woman dies after being swept into the water by a wave in famous sea caves in the Canary Islands

A British woman has died after being swept into the water by a wave in the famous sea caves on the Canary Island of Fuerteventura.

Three people sitting next to the 32-year-old also ended up in the sea after being hit by the same wave near the Ajuy caves at around 8.30 p.m. yesterday.

“The emergency services were activated immediately. Three of those affected were rescued from the water and the fourth, a woman, was rescued by officers from the Fuerteventura city emergency services and a private boat.

“Rescue personnel confirmed her death when she reached dry land and assisted the three other people, aged between 18 and 26.”

They managed to swim to the shore.

Two local fishermen and an off-duty firefighter attempted to rescue the 32-year-old, who lost her life in the process, while another witness ran to the nearby village to get lifebuoys and other floating equipment.

The three others, who had also been swept away, managed to swim to the shore.

The woman was pulled out of the water by a small private boat and rescue workers, but tragically her death was not discovered until she reached the shore.

The surviving trio, aged between 18 and 26, received medical attention, but it was not confirmed whether they were hospitalised.

The sea caves in the small fishing village of Ajuy are located on the west coast of Fuerteventura and are one of the island’s visitor attractions.

The four people involved in the horrific incident were staying in the same hotel in Corralejo on the northeast coast of Fuerteventura.

The caves, which are visited by thousands of tourists every year, were almost the scene of tragedy on March 30 when a 23-year-old tourist was rescued by helicopter.

The holidaymaker was found alive, but suffered from hypothermia after almost an hour in the sea.

According to reports, the vacationer had ignored signs indicating that the area was closed due to a storm.

She and a man who was with her were reportedly taking selfies as the six-meter-high waves crashed against the shore and were eventually knocked off their feet.

The 25-year-old man managed to escape from the water himself, while the woman almost died but was rescued.

Locals threw her lifebuoys to help her stay afloat until professional help arrived.

Villager Lucas Quesada, who was involved in this rescue operation and also in the rescue attempt of the last victim, said: “The wave came and swept away all four tourists who were sitting in an area we call El Muellito.”

Another who helped pull her out of the water said: “There was nothing we could do to save her. When we reached her, she was lying face down in the water.”

A spokesman for a regional emergency response coordination center confirmed: “A 32-year-old woman has died in Ajuy, in the municipality of Pajara.”

“The alarm came in yesterday at 8:26 p.m. and said that several people had fallen into the sea.”

“The emergency services were activated immediately. Three of those affected were rescued from the water and the fourth, a woman, was rescued by officers from the Fuerteventura city emergency services and a private boat.

“Rescue personnel confirmed her death when she reached dry land and assisted the three other people, aged between 18 and 26.”

The police could not be reached for comment this evening.

The Ajuy Caves are the most famous caves in Fuerteventura.

They were declared a natural monument in 1987, are part of the Betancuria Rural Park and are therefore under comprehensive protection.

They are said to be centuries old and are the oldest formations in the Canary Islands. The caves are one of the 150 sites of priority geological interest in the world. Many tourists are attracted by their size and the way the sea beats against the rocks at the entrance to the cave.