British bather saved by heroic trio in Axarquia

A 57-year-old British woman remains in intensive care at the Hospital Comarcal in Velez-Malaga following a dramatic beach rescue.

It comes after the victim almost drowned off Cala de Carabeo in Nerja when she got into trouble 150 metres offshore following a 600-metre swim from nearby Calahonda Beach.

The unnamed swimmer’s screams were heard by 3-year-old Francisco Javier Martin, a National Police officer on holiday from Valencia, and Ivan Merida, 19, a lifeguard from Fuengirola enjoying a day off.

Both plunged into the sea and swam 150 metres out to the distressed bather, who was by that point almost unconscious having swallowed a lot of water.

They were joined by a member of Nerja’s beach security team, who rode his jet ski from El Salon beach, around the Balcon de Europa.

The trio managed to lift the woman onto the vehicle and bring her ashore before carrying her up the stairs linking the beach to Calle Carabeo, an ambulance arriving several minutes later.

She vomited a mixture of water and blood as paramedics administered oxygen, but eventually recovered sufficiently for the journey to hospital.

In the aftermath a stunned Martin said: “If we hadn’t heard her screaming and acted quickly she would have drowned… I hope she recovers well.”