A young woman has been rescued by the Guardia Civil after becoming trapped in rough seas off Torrevieja’s rocky coast.
The 24-year-old was unable to get back to shore as powerful waves battered the area during severe weather, leaving her exhausted and struggling to stay afloat.
Details were only released on Monday of the drama that unfolded in the early hours of March 31, when a witness called Guardia Civil officers in Torrevieja to report that a woman had gone into the sea and could not get out. The woman, who was on holiday, had gone to the beach for leisure with a friend.
Officers rushed to the scene, a rocky and hard-to-reach stretch of coastline, where they spotted the woman around 50 metres from the shore. She was visibly struggling in the water as the strong swell made the rescue increasingly dangerous.
With time running out, one officer entered the sea to reach her, while his colleague remained on land to coordinate support from other units and medical services.
When the officer reached the woman, she was already showing signs of fainting and was extremely weak. He swam her back to shore, where officers kept her stable until emergency medics arrived.
She was then taken to Torrevieja Hospital, where she was admitted to intensive care after suffering hypothermia that led to pneumonia.
Thankfully, the woman has since been discharged and is now recovering at home.
The officer who carried out the rescue suffered minor injuries because of the rough sea conditions and the rocky terrain.
