Five-Year-Old Child Airlifted From Lanzarote Hotel After Swimming Pool Emergency
A five-year-old child has been taken to hospital in Gran Canaria in critical condition after being rescued from a hotel swimming pool in the Yaiza area of Lanzarote.
Emergency services were called shortly before 1pm on Thursday, September 3, following reports that a young child had been removed from a hotel swimming pool showing signs of drowning.
According to the Government of the Canary Islands, the emergency call was received by the CECOES 112 emergency coordination centre at 12:46pm. The child was reportedly in cardiac arrest when removed from the water, with people at the hotel attempting to revive them.
Hotel lifeguard and doctor began resuscitation
The initial response at the hotel included the pool’s lifeguard, a doctor and other people who were present at the scene. They began resuscitation efforts before the emergency medical teams arrived.
The seriousness of the situation prompted the Canary Islands Emergency Service (SUC) to deploy two ambulances — one advanced life-support ambulance and one basic life-support unit — together with a medicalised helicopter.
When the medical team arrived, the five-year-old was still in cardiac arrest. Advanced resuscitation procedures were carried out and the child’s pulse was successfully restored.
Once stabilised, the child was flown by the SUC medical helicopter to the Hospital Universitario Materno Infantil de Gran Canaria, where they were admitted in critical condition.
Emergency helicopter lands close to hotel
The helicopter was able to land close to the hotel, allowing the child to be transferred quickly for the flight to Gran Canaria.
Lanzarote’s emergency services also played an important role in the operation. Firefighters from the Consorcio de Seguridad, Emergencias, Salvamento, Prevención y Extinción de Incendios de Lanzarote secured the area and assisted with the helicopter’s landing and departure.
Local police officers also attended and helped clear and secure the area so that the emergency teams could work safely.
Local reports have identified the location as Playa Blanca, although the official emergency service statement describes it more generally as a hotel in the municipality of Yaiza.
A reminder about swimming pool safety in Lanzarote
The incident is a sobering reminder that swimming pools can present serious risks, particularly for young children.
Lanzarote is hugely popular with families looking for a family holiday in Lanzarote, and hotel swimming pools are one of the attractions for visitors staying in resorts such as Playa Blanca, Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise.
Parents and guardians should keep young children within close reach around swimming pools, even where a lifeguard is present. Pool rules, depth markings and any restrictions on inflatables or other equipment should also be followed.
The latest information available from emergency services on Thursday afternoon stated that the child remained in critical condition following the incident.
Our thoughts are with the child and their family.
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