Two people have died on Thursday morning after being swept into the sea at different points on the coast of Asturias, shortly after looking out to see the power of the waves, up to seven meters high, and the wind during storm Nelson. The entire northern region of Spain is under orange alert for adverse weather conditions. The deceased individuals are a woman and a male British tourist, who lost their lives around 1 p.m. with only a few minutes of difference between them. The first of the deaths, that of the British man, occurred at the end of the jetty at the mouth of the Nalón River in San Esteban de Pravia (Muros del Nalón) where the tourist had gone to watch the waves and was swept into the water by a wave. The victim had traveled with his partner to enjoy a few days of vacation in this area, according to the mayor of Muros, Celestino Novo, who went to the jetty where the victim was taken by the waves to closely monitor the rescue efforts.
Emergency services were alerted by some witnesses, and the helicopter of 112 Asturias was dispatched to the area to begin the search, which concluded around 1:48 p.m. after the body was located in the ria of Muros. The intense waves and wind made the retrieval of the body difficult, with the helicopter needing to use a crane operation with 30 meters of cable, as reported by 112. The body was deposited on the jetty, where the Civil Guard took charge until the body was recovered. Previously, the Rescue Group had been mobilized with a medicalized helicopter and a team of firefighters. The aquatic rescue team of the Red Cross was also activated, and Salvamento Marítimo was informed, though they did not need to intervene.
The second victim is a woman who was walking in the fishing port of the neighboring municipality of Cudillero, less than seven kilometers from where the male British tourist died, and was hit by a wave and thrown forcefully against rocks. She was rescued by a fishing boat, but was unconscious. Despite efforts by a medical team and the mobile ICU to revive her for over an hour, including CPR, they were unable to save her. The warning about the second victim was received at 12:59 p.m. at the Emergency Coordination Center of 112 Asturias from the port of Cudillero, reporting that a woman had fallen into the sea and was being struck by waves against the rocks.
The Asturias Emergency Services have urged the population to avoid approaching cliffs, seafront promenades, or dangerous areas due to the strong gusts of wind that can cause falls and people being swept away by waves. The inclement weather has put the entire Asturian coast on orange alert for today, with waves expected to reach heights of up to seven meters and strong winds. The entire northern coast of Spain, from the border with Portugal to the border with France, is under a yellow alert for significant risk of adverse weather conditions caused by Storm Nelson, prompting warnings to avoid cliffs, seafronts, and dangerous areas to ensure safety.
