British brother and sister, 11 and 13, drown off Spanish beach

A British brother and sister aged 11 and 13 have drowned off a beach on the north-eastern coast of Spain.

Emergency services were called to Llarga beach in Salou, near Tarragona, shortly after 8.45pm local time on Tuesday evening, Catalonia’s Civil Protection agency said.

The children’s father, who had also entered the water, was rescued alive by the services.

Local police, medical and fire services all attended the incident, while a team of psychologists were also at the scene to assist the victims’ family.

The children, who were swept away from the beach by powerful currents, received immediate treatment but died at the scene, according to local media.

Their father remains in hospital after being pulled from the water unconscious, it was reported.

Catalonia’s Civil Protection agency initially said two brothers died, but Jose Luis Gargallo, the head of the local police force in Salou, later said it was a brother and sister.

At a news conference on Wednesday, Mr Gargallo told reporters: “There were three people who were having serious difficulty getting out of the sea.

“There was a father with his son and daughter, of British nationality.

“When they got out, both of them, the boy and girl, aged 11 and 13, showed no signs of life.

“Attempts were made to resuscitate them with CPR, but they were unsuccessful.

“The father, fortunately, was able to be saved. He had swallowed a lot of water, he was exhausted, very fatigued, but the father was able to be saved thanks to the emergency services.”

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of two British children who have died in Spain and are in contact with the local authorities.”

The deaths come after several other British people died while abroad in southern Europe this month.

Scots Gary Kelly, 19, and Evan Thomson, 26, died at the Ibiza Rocks Hotel in San Antonio, Ibiza, while King Edonmi, 29, and Mo Liasu, 27, both from Ipswich, died after drowning in a hotel swimming pool in Albufeira, Portugal.