Tragedy struck this afternoon, when a bather died after diving into the water and hitting his head on a rock.
Unfortunately, the incident took place in the isolated cove of Cala Dorado, which is on the Mediterranean coastline between Cala Reona and Calblanque, so there was no lifeguard cover nearby and no means of saving the bather once he had knocked himself unconscious and slipped below the surface of the water.
The deceased, a 40 year old native of Cartagena, had been enjoying an afternoon on the beach with friends when the accident occurred, and although emergency services were immediately despatched to the zone, they could do nothing other than retrieve the body of the bather from the water.
This, in itself, proved to be a difficult task, as not only is the cove inaccessible by road, but the beach fringed by rocky outcrops.
Protección Civil from Cartagena were the first to arrive, but soon called for helicopter support to try and bring the bather from the water, due to the dangerous conditions.
Finally the launch from Salvamento Marítimo and a jetski from one of the municipal vigilance posts were called in to carry out the task and the deceased taken to Cabo de Palos in the launch.
There are 103 vigilance points set up along the region's beaches, with hundreds of life guards and safety personnel working to safeguard bathers, but with a costline of 274 kilometres to cover, and many small coves on stretches of almost inaccessible wild coasline, only the major beaches can be constantly covered.
Cartagena has many other beaches to choose from, with lifeguards, Click Cartagena beaches for a selection.
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