British girl dies after pool tragedy in Fuerteventura

An 11-year-old British girl died after being pulled unconscious from a children's pool in Morro Jable, prompting questions about pool safety and lifeguard coverage.

British girl dies after pool tragedy in Fuerteventura

An 11-year-old British girl was pulled unconscious from a children's pool at a hotel complex in Morro Jable on Thursday. Lifeguards worked to resuscitate her and she was airlifted to the Maternal and Child University Hospital in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, where she died on Friday after being declared brain dead. The pool where she got into difficulty was reported to be only 30 centimetres deep.

Spanish police confirmed her age and clarified earlier reports that she was five. They noted the autopsy will determine if an underlying health issue played a role. The case follows a troubling summer for Spanish water safety, with the national federation RFESS reporting a high toll from drownings this year and calling the period catastrophic. Authorities have not named the hotel.

This tragedy underscores how quickly danger can emerge in places families expect to be safe. It also highlights the pressure on tourist hubs to balance guest experience with strict safety standards during peak season.

Policy makers and resort operators are being urged to rethink lifeguard coverage and pool design beyond the traditional summer window. The wider pattern of drownings this year, including incidents in Salou and Ibiza, points to broader risks in coastal tourism and the need for consistent safety rules and resources across regions.

Highlights

Safety standards must keep pace with travel.