A young man has drowned after plucking his younger brother from the sea off southern Spain.

The 19-year-old had last been seen swimming off the notorious Playa de la Bota beach at Punta Umbria on Sunday evening.

Emergency workers this morning found his lifeless body in the sea two miles from where he had entered the water to save his brother.

His body was taken ashore, at 10am, to Playa Flecha del Rompido beach before being transferred to a forensic centre in the Andalusian town of Huelva.


According to a spokesman for the Guardia Civil, the teenager and his younger brother had travelled to the beach for a day out from their parents’ home near Seville.

The spokesman added that “strong currents” hampered the rescue operation, which began on Sunday evening and involved two helicopters and three boats with teams from the Guardia Civil, Coastguard and local police.

The alarm was raised when emergency services were contacted by a caller who said a young man “was having problems getting out of the water”.

The two-mile beach is known for its dangerous strong currents and has a long history of tragedies. A 16-year-old died in the same location a year ago. Signs warn of the risks and the authorities advise that people swim with extreme caution.

An eyewitness posted a message of condolence and concern over the absence of lifeguards on the website of local newpaper Huelva Informacion.

"I was there when it happened, and although the emergency services did everything they could to get there as quick as they could, I feel ashamed that there was no lifeguard station, or lifeguard in the area, which attracts many swimmers at this time of year, especially taking into account the dangerous waters in that area. I am very sorry for the family," the eyewitness wrote.

Huelva emergency services director Francisco Huelva said: “Every year incidents occur like this along the coast of Andalucia. Many of these, but not the majority, are due to imprudent actions. I’m not saying that is the case here.”

Warning flags and lifeguards at the popular sandy beach are not in force until the summer season begins in mid-June. Generally a red flag, which instructs bathers not to swim, flies over Playa de la Bota beach all summer.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said earlier: “We can confirm that a British national has been reported missing in Huelva, Spain.

“We stand ready to provide appropriate consular assistance to the family if needed.”

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