A 21-year-old man died late Friday night after the current swept him away in an irrigation canal in Amposta, in the Ebro Delta. He entered the water from the Pont de Pedra shortly before midnight. His body was found several hours later, about 7.5 kilometres downstream from where he was last seen.
Emergency services received a call at 23:44 and mobilized 14 units involving 31 firefighters. The search first extended toward the Illa de Buda. Responders then focused on locations where the current was strongest and the risk of entrapment greatest.
The operation involved the GRAE Subaquatic unit and the Air Media Unit’s drone team. Firefighters from l’Ametlla de Mar, Tortosa, Amposta and Ulldecona also took part, supported by a medical unit from the Cambrils SEM park. At 4:03 a.m., rescuers located the man’s body about 7.5 kilometres from where he was last seen.
The Mossos d’Esquadra are investigating the circumstances of the death. Amposta City Council expressed its condolences to the victim’s family. The incident shows the risks of entering irrigation canals, particularly at night, when poor visibility can complicate a response and strong currents can carry people downstream.
The Ebro Delta is an intensively irrigated agricultural area, and its canal network supports rice cultivation. These waterways are infrastructure, not designated bathing areas. Strong currents and possible entrapment points can make entering them hazardous. Local authorities regularly warn people against going into irrigation canals, particularly during the summer.
The death in Amposta recalls the shock felt after other recent losses, including the passing of Joan Roca, a founding member of Antònia Font, which was also mourned by the community. For more on how local communities respond to sudden losses, see this report on the impact of Joan Roca's passing on Mallorca’s music scene.
