A disturbing video circulating on social media captures moments in which a group of tourists put their lives at risk along the coastline of the Canary Islands after ignoring official safety warnings and entering an especially dangerous area. The footage, shared last week by Canarias 1500 Km de Costa, an organization working to prevent maritime accidents, shows the tourists standing on a rocky ledge near a high cliff until a powerful wave crashes into them, triggering panic and a hurried escape.
According to a report by the local news site Canarian Weekly, the incident occurred near the Faro de Sardina del Norte lighthouse in the Gáldar area of northern Gran Canaria. The video shows a group of tourists crossing protective barriers that had been installed at the site, despite clear safety warnings, and positioning themselves on a hazardous rock shelf where the cliffs rise more than 20 meters above the sea.
Foreign media outlets, including Britain’s Daily Mail and the US-based New York Post, reported that some of the tourists were seen holding mobile phones and filming photos and videos close to the edge of the cliff as the waves intensified, until an especially strong wave struck, causing panic and a scramble to flee the area.
Following the video’s release, the organization warned that “time and again, lives are put at risk due to the disregard of safety barriers at one of the most dangerous points along our coastline.” It added that such behavior endangers not only the tourists themselves but also rescue forces, who may be required to operate under extremely hazardous conditions in the event of an accident or rescue.
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Tourists risk their lives amid giant waves in the Canary Islands
(Photo: Canarias 1500 Km de Costa)
Such incidents are not uncommon in the Canary Islands. Last November, three people were killed and 15 others injured on the resort island of Tenerife after powerful waves swept nearly 20 people into the Atlantic Ocean during an unusual surge.
In several other coastal incidents, injured individuals were evacuated to hospitals, some in serious condition, and in a number of cases deaths were confirmed. Following these events, authorities urged the public to avoid walking along the shoreline or taking selfies during rough seas and announced heightened alert levels across the Canary Islands.