Overview
- Emergency services confirmed that an 18-year-old man drowned in the confluence of the Saja and Besaya rivers in Torrelavega after he disappeared while bathing on Monday and his body was found about two hours later near where he entered the water.
- Search teams resumed operations on Wednesday for a 23-year-old who called for help and then vanished from the water at the Pantano de Almansa, with Guardia Civil, local police, firefighters, Protección Civil volunteers and GEAS divers deployed for boat searches and underwater dives.
- Both incidents triggered broad, resource-heavy responses that included air, water and dive units and on‑scene coordination by regional emergency services.
- Cruz Roja activated psychosocial support to assist relatives at Almansa and families in both events are coping with sudden loss or ongoing uncertainty as searches continue.
- National context heightens concern: the Real Federación Española de Salvamento y Socorrismo reported 472 drowning deaths in 2025, including 88 in rivers, and officials warn that heat waves and yellow alerts push more people into natural waters and strain rescue capacity.