Two British women drown during late-night swim in stormy seas off Spain

The bodies of two British women who ignored safety warnings and went swimming overnight in stormy seas off north-east Spain have been found. They were spotted on Thursday by a rescue service helicopter less than 2km (1 mile) out from the popular resort town of Lloret de Mar. The women — aged 33 and 36 — went swimming along with three other British women at about 4am. One appeared to have been swept away when she went back into the water to help her friend who was in trouble. Officials said the sea has been stormy for several days and that there had been a red warning flag on the beach.

It was very bad weather, the waves were big and the currents were powerful

Spokesman for the marine rescue service, the Salvamento Marítimo

The women were warned not to go into the sea by a security guard at a beach bar, according to one town hall official. “They were in a group of five and were told that it was dangerous to go into the sea. But two ignored him and went in the sea anyway,” said Ana Riera. “It seems one of the original swimmers was able to get to shore but the other was struggling so a friend went to her rescue and they both got swept out to sea,” Ms Riera said.The remaining three women in the group were receiving counselling from psychologists, she added. The incident comes a day after another British man was swept away by a raging river on the Costa del Sol as he slept under a bridge.

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