Search for young man near confluence of Saja and Besaya rivers ends in tragedy. In Torrelavega, an 18-year-old drowned while swimming in the river. The search lasted almost two hours and involved rescue teams and police. The incident occurred amid an abnormal regional heatwave.
On Monday evening in Torrelavega (Cantabria), rescuers found the body of an 18-year-old man who disappeared while swimming at the confluence of the Saja and Besaya rivers. The incident occurred around eight o'clock in the evening in a popular local recreational area near the multifunctional Sergio García building, known as La Lechera. On that day, temperatures in the city exceeded 30 degrees, drawing crowds of people looking to cool off by the water.
According to Emergencias de Cantabria, after the alert was received, a large-scale search and rescue operation was launched. Divers, ground rescue teams, a helicopter, municipal firefighters, National and local police, and representatives of the Red Cross took part. The body of the deceased, a citizen of Guinea, was found at about 22:15—almost two hours after he went missing—very close to where he had entered the water.
The La Lechera area is considered one of the most visited during hot days, especially when a yellow weather warning for high temperatures is in effect. On Monday, temperatures in Cantabria reached highs of up to 34 degrees, significantly above the usual figures for this time of year. Such weather conditions often lead to an increase in water incidents.
According to the annual report by the Real Federación Española de Salvamento y Socorrismo, in 2025 Spain recorded 472 drowning deaths — the second highest figure since 2017. More than half of the tragedies occurred on beaches (241 cases), 88 in rivers, 49 in swimming pools, and another 94 in other bodies of water such as ports, canals and reservoirs. Most victims were men.
For Cantabria and other northern regions of Spain, water safety becomes especially relevant during periods of abnormal heat. Authorities and rescue services regularly remind the public to exercise caution when swimming in areas not designated for this purpose, especially in rivers with strong currents and varying depths. According to RUSSPAIN, in recent years the number of such incidents is increasing against the backdrop of climate change and a rise in extreme temperature days.
