Drowning on Christmas Eve

Playa de Santiago 

Yet another drowning happened on La Gomera's coast, this time in Playa de Santiago on La Gomera's south coast around 4:30 pm  on Christmas Eve. 

A male Swiss national, 71 years of age, was brought ashore apparently dead from the sea at the generally safe beach where he had been swimming.

The doctor and nurses from the nearby health centre with the assistance of the crew of an ambulance tried to revive the man but their efforts proved fruitless.

Only a few weeks ago a 77-year old Austrian had drowned at another beach on Gomera's south coast and a 45-year old man drowned at a dangerous beach west of Valle Gran Rey last week.

Drowning on La Gomera's south coast

A  77-year-old Austrian named as Richard Liedolter and thought to be a tourist was swimming in the sea off Playa del Medio near Playa de Santiago on La Gomera's south coast at around mid-day last Saturday when he apparently to get into difficulty.  Other swimmers in the area came to his assistance and he was brought ashore but found to be unconscious. The ambulance was sent from the health centre in Playa de Santiago but the accompanying doctor's efforts to revive him proved unsuccessful and it was established that he had suffered a heart attack.