Police officers swim to rescue six young paddleboarders swept out to sea in Dénia

A routine afternoon on the Mediterranean turned into a dramatic rescue operation when six young paddleboarders were swept away from the Dénia coastline, forcing a local police officer to swim out and bring them back to safety.

The group ran into difficulty on Friday August 7 afternoon after a sudden change in the wind and sea conditions carried their paddleboards further from shore. A yellow flag was flying at the time, signalling conditions in which bathers and watersports enthusiasts should exercise caution.

Officers from Dénia Local Police’s Maritime Surveillance Unit responded at around 4.50pm and discovered the six youngsters stranded near the buoy marking the edge of the designated bathing area.

All six were eventually brought safely back to shore, with no injuries reported.

Officer forced to swim to group

When the maritime officers arrived, they found three paddleboards, each carrying two people, secured to the buoy line.

The group had managed to stop themselves being carried further out, but were reportedly extremely nervous as they waited for help.

Conditions prevented the police boat from reaching the buoy safely, meaning another way had to be found to get the paddleboarders back to land.

One officer then entered the water and carried out a demanding rescue operation by swimming between the group and the shore.

In an extraordinary effort, he attached one of the paddleboards to his ankle before swimming back towards the beach, towing the first two people behind him.

Rather than stopping there, the officer then returned to the group and helped guide the remaining two boards, carrying four more youngsters, safely back towards the beach.

Despite the difficult conditions and the complexity of the operation, everyone involved reached land without suffering injuries.

Police praise quick response

Dénia Local Police credited the successful outcome to the Maritime Surveillance Unit’s rapid response, technical training and familiarity with the local coastline and sea conditions.

The incident also serves as a reminder of how quickly conditions can change in the Mediterranean, particularly for people using paddleboards and other lightweight equipment that can easily be pushed offshore by wind.

Paddleboarding has become hugely popular along Spain’s coastline, but offshore winds can leave users struggling to make progress back towards the beach even when the sea initially appears relatively calm.

It is not the first such rescue off Dénia this year. In May, three adults and a child had to be rescued by Salvamento Marítimo after wind reportedly carried them away from the coast while paddleboarding off El Raset beach.

Warning for watersports users

Following the latest incident, Dénia’s Maritime Surveillance Unit has urged people heading onto the water to check weather forecasts and sea conditions beforehand and to take extra precautions when conditions are changeable.

Beach flags should also be taken seriously. A yellow flag indicates potentially hazardous conditions and means anyone entering the water should do so with particular caution.

For the six young paddleboarders caught out on Friday, the swift response of the maritime police, and one officer’s strenuous swim to reach them, ensured a frightening afternoon ended safely.