Foreign tourist dies while kayaking to spectacular waterfall on the Costa del Sol

Wednesday afternoon was tinged with sadness on Burriana beach, one of the busiest and most cosmopolitan in Nerja on Malaga province's eastern Costa del Sol. A foreign tourist, aged 67, died while on the well-known kayak route to the Cascada Grande de Maro waterfall.

The incident happened at around 4.30pm, when the man passed out while in the canoe with his wife, near the La Caleta de Maro beach, very close to the spectacular waterfall.

Although the group had rented the boats on their own, without an official guide, it was one of these nearby professionals who was the first to jump into the water to rescue him.

Up to three recovery boats, both from the company offering the rental service and the Nerja town hall lifeguard and rescue service, quickly approached the area where the foreign tourist fell into the sea, and transferred the unconscious man to Burriana beach.

The 112 Andalucía emergency service operators received a call alerting them to a man in cardiorespiratory arrest on Burriana beach, and they alerted the Local Police, Guardia Civil and the emergency medical services. Despite the efforts of the professionals to resuscitate him by performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation manoeuvres the foreign tourist died on the beach.

The company that manages and rents out the kayaks, which has been operating in the area for more than twenty years, explained to SUR that this is the first time something like this has happened to them, for which they said they «deeply» regretted the death of this holidaymaker and have conveyed their «profound condolences» to the family.

When renting the kayaks, users sign a declaration that they have no health problems and assume the risks of outdoor activity. The round trip takes about two hours, covering a distance of around six kilometres.