Lifeguard injured as observation platform collapses on Spanish beach

Lifeguard injured as observation platform collapses on a Spanish beach in Motril.

The collapse of an elevated platform occurred on Playa Granada, and sadly the platform collapsed with a lifeguard still in it. The incident happened on Monday, July 19, and the lifeguard sadly fell 3 metres. Luckily the platform did not hit any beachgoers or any nearby sunbeds. The lifeguard has suffered from a back injury and will remain off work for several months.

Local police rushed into action and cordoned off all the beach towers. These will be inspected thoroughly and plans were put in place to remove them. According to reports the observation platform posts are made of wood, and it appears that they have deteriorated and rotted. The damage to the posts occurred where they were buried into the beach.

Due to this incident the Mayor has ordered that all lifeguard observation posts on Playa Granada and Playa de Poniente are closed and that they are removed as well. The mayor though has pledged that next year, new lookout posts will be installed for the lifeguard service.

Jose Lemos, the Councillor for Tourism and Beaches has confirmed that all the posts are in the process of being removed. Most of the lifeguard posts had been in action for at least 10 years but the post on Punta del Santo, had only been installed last year. This will be the last post to be removed.

The lifeguard was rushed to the Hospital Santa Ana. He is expected to be off sick for several months now, but was able to return home from hospital on the same day as the accident. The lifeguard has to wear a back support due to the injury sustained. Sadly, the lifeguard injured one of his lower vertebrae.

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