Emergency services were called to Platja Nova in Roses, Girona, on Monday morning after an 83-year-old French tourist drowned. The call came at around 11:15 and reported an unconscious person in the water. Lifeguards pulled the man from the sea and attempted resuscitation on the sand, but could not revive him.
The latest fatality brings the number of deaths on Catalan beaches since the bathing season began on June 15 to 18. Including incidents in pools and inland waters, the total rises to 30. Drownings have increased compared with last summer, prompting Protección Civil to issue repeated calls for caution among swimmers and beachgoers.
Platja Nova had active lifeguard surveillance and a green flag at the time of the incident. Four units from the Sistema d’Emergències Mèdiques (SEM) responded. The Mossos d’Esquadra deployed three patrols, and Salvamento Marítimo and local police were also alerted. A green flag permits swimming, but beachgoers still need to assess conditions and follow safety guidance.
A later report published by VilaWeb on October 21 put Catalonia’s 2026 drowning death toll at 64, a broader figure covering a later period than the bathing-season count cited above. In a separate discussion of water-related emergencies, Protecció Civil representative Sergio Delgado told RTVE Catalunya that “part of society is not aware of the risks posed by water.” His warning addressed wider water hazards, including flooding, not the circumstances of the incident in Roses.
Fatal incidents have also occurred elsewhere. In a recent deadly fire in Alberic, Valencia, emergency teams faced challenging rescue conditions. That was a separate incident. For more on emergency services’ response to such incidents, see this report on a fatal apartment fire in Valencia.
Authorities urge swimmers to choose supervised areas and follow safety guidance, including beach-flag warnings. Lifeguards and emergency protocols can reduce risks, but a rapid response cannot always prevent a fatal outcome. The rising number of incidents has prompted renewed public-safety messaging and greater vigilance by local authorities.
