This is the sickening moment a cliff jumper misjudges his leap into the abyss and crashes onto rocks at a notorious beauty spot in Tenerife as his British tourist friends look on in horror.
The 40-year-old man was stretchered out of a sea cave called Charco El Tancón in Puerto Santiago, in the north of Tenerife, on Monday afternoon after suffering “serious injuries” to his legs.
Footage of the brutal injury that emerged overnight showed a group of men believed to be friends of the tourist counting down from five before launching themselves into the air.
But the man jumped too far, overshot the sea and crashed feet first into the rocks surrounding the pool, dozens of feet below.
Witnesses could be heard reacting with shock and terror as the unfortunate jumper made contact with the rocks before bouncing off the water with clear signs that his injuries included at least one broken leg.
Some appeared to have made the same jump moments earlier and were still in the water when the victim suffered the stomach-churning accident.
Do YOU know who was involved in the accident? david.averre@mailonline.co.uk
A group of men, supposedly friends of the tourist, counted from five before jumping into the air.
The man jumped too far, over the pool below and towards the rock outcropping.
Witnesses could be heard reacting with shock and terror as the unfortunate jumper made contact with the rocks before bouncing into the water.
The victim was taken on a stretcher from the El Tancón sea cave in Puerto Santiago, in the north of Tenerife.
Several tourists have lost their lives in this notoriously dangerous cave.
The crystal-clear waters of El Tancón attract tourists from all corners of the world, but the beautiful place is considered highly dangerous.
The seemingly calm waters can quickly become turbulent depending on the tides, and bathers relaxing in the pool risk crashing onto the rocks.
The Spanish influencer Marina Rivera Saldana, who has two million followers on Instagram, was criticized for posting photos of her swimming in a place where bathing is prohibited last September.
It is listed as “permanently closed” on TripAdvisor, where locals warn people not to visit.
Witnesses to Monday’s accident reported seeing a group of tourists filming themselves performing somersaults and diving from rocks into the open sea before moving to the site where the horror accident occurred.
The injured man had already been pulled from the water when emergency services arrived.
A spokesman for the regional emergency services coordinator said after he was rushed to hospital: “A 40-year-old foreign man has been taken by ambulance to Hospiten Sur University Hospital.
‘He had several serious traumatic injuries to his lower extremities.
“The first emergency call was received at 2:10 p.m. on Monday, indicating that the foreigner needed medical assistance after hitting some rocks while jumping into the Charco El Tancón pool.
“When the first emergency services arrived, his colleagues had already pulled him out of the water.”
Firefighters took him to a local health center where he was stabilized before being transferred to the hospital.
It was not immediately clear today what his current condition is.
An organization based in the Canary Islands created to prevent water accidents like the one on Monday stated in a nightly post: “El Tancón in Tenerife has once again made tragic news due to the most absurd recklessness.”
A spokesman for the group stated that the video of the accident showed people “freely risking their lives and recording everything for social networks” despite warning signs: “Please: no more recklessness, no more suicidal actions, no more deaths at sea”. Prevention and common sense.’
The crystal-clear waters of El Tancón attract tourists from all corners of the world, but the beautiful place is considered highly dangerous
The seemingly calm waters can quickly become turbulent depending on the tides, and bathers relaxing in the pool risk crashing onto the rocks.
The site where the accident occurred, part of a complex of natural pools on the cliffs of Los Gigantes, has been described as a “deadly paradise.”
An online travel site described it as “one of the most beautiful places in all of Tenerife” before bathing was banned there.
He adds: ‘There is also a cave under the rocks that you can swim in. There is also an alternative descent on the other side that will allow you to see the cave from below.
‘Common sense is very important here, as the pool can be very dangerous during high tide. Then the cave fills with water and getting out can be very difficult. Therefore, it is worth observing the situation in the ocean and not taking risks when the water starts to rise.’
An English-speaking visitor wrote on TripAdvisor in September 2022: “I found the cave by accident back in 1999. It is a fascinating place, watching the cave fill and empty with the waves of the sea.
‘As I’m not a good swimmer, I wouldn’t dare do it. I have read over the years that strong swimmers have succumbed to the speed at which the cave fills, resulting in them becoming trapped in the cave ceiling and suffering fatal head injuries or drowning.
‘I have visited the place on three years of different holidays, so I have seen some ‘dangerous’ sea conditions. Standing and seeing how quickly the cave fills terrified me.
“Please, if you visit this place, be very aware of the consequences of what may happen to you, since you will have no control.”
A Spanish local responded: ‘DO NOT ENTER.’ People die here every year. Even if the sea seems to be calm, in a matter of seconds a series of waves can arrive that will take you to the grave.
‘Once you are in the water, the cave fills with waves, hitting your head against the ceiling of the cave and knocking you unconscious.
‘Your only way out would be to dive as deep as possible and wait there for a couple of minutes. This is impossible for most of us. Please do not try to swim here. NO EXIT.’
Another visitor added: ‘We passed this natural ‘pool’ a couple of times on our way from Puerto de Santiago and Los Gigantes.
‘It is well signposted but there are also warning signs at the beginning of the stairs leading down to the pool indicating that people who use it do so at their own risk as there are no lifeguards.
“On a relatively calm sunny day, ocean surge still caused what appeared to be strong waves crossing the outer border wall.”