The dramatic rescue of three minors who fell into the sea in Almería
On Saturday, June 8, three young people under the age of 16 fell into the sea in the area of the San Telmo Lighthouse in the capital of Almería. Around 5:00 p.m., the 091 service received a call alerting that several young people had fallen from the cliff and were being dragged by the strong waves.
Immediately, three National Police teams with six agents rushed to the scene. At the same time, the Salvamar Spica from Maritime Rescue was notified to come to the aid of the boys. The agents decided to deploy in the area in case the tide could have dragged them. The boys could not get out of the sea and were at imminent risk of drowning. The alerters told them how they could descend a ravine to reach the area where they had fallen.
One of the National Police couples decided to take off part of their uniform and put on the official maritime rescue kit they had in their vehicle. In this way, they began a complicated descent through a steep wall that provided access to the sea. Once at the base of the ravine, the agents located one of the victims who had managed to get out of the water after being thrown by the waves against a cliff. When they reached him, they discovered a minor in a conscious state but with clear signs of exhaustion. The boy had various cuts and bruises, and he was vomiting saltwater, so first aid was administered on the spot.
At the same time, another pair of police officers located another boy who was being violently shaken by the strong waves. One of the agents decided to climb to the nearest ledge to the young man and throw him a rope with an aquatic rescue tube and a self-inflating life jacket.
Considering the danger of the land rescue due to the force of the waves and the sharpness of the rocks, it was decided to wait for the arrival of a Maritime Rescue boat, which had reported being close to the area. They were the ones who completed the difficult sea rescue of the second victim. The third team deployed in Cala de las Olas managed to locate the last victim in the sea, providing his position without losing sight of him so that the Maritime Rescue boat could rescue him. The rescued were taken to the Fishermen’s Pier of the Port of Almería, where an ambulance was waiting for their assistance.
The three minors, residents of Almería, were treated by health professionals and did not require hospitalization, so they were immediately handed over to their respective families, who wanted to go to the police station to express their gratitude in the National Police Complaints, Suggestions, and Congratulations Book. Three of these police officers who risked their lives had to be treated for multiple bruises and lacerations during the urgent descent down the cliffs at the scene of the intervention, but their injuries are not serious, and all of them attended normal service the next day.
