Search continues off Las Palmas for missing 11-year-old girl after rescue of another minor at La Laja beach

The incident

On Tuesday 21 July 2026, two swimmers got into difficulty in the sea off La Laja beach, on the southern outskirts of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The emergency services coordination centre (Cecoes) received a call to the 112 number shortly after 13:30 local time, reporting that two bathers were struggling to get out of the water. La Laja beach is a known bathing spot on the capital's southern exit, and the alert triggered an immediate response from lifeguards and emergency services.

Rescue of one swimmer

Red Cross lifeguards stationed at the beach managed to pull one of the swimmers from the water. The rescued person, a minor, was initially reported as a 12-year-old boy by ABC and as an 11-year-old by Europa Press. After receiving first aid on the sand, he was transferred to the Hospital Materno Infantil de Gran Canaria for further assessment. The boy told rescuers that he had been in the water with another person, also a minor, who remained unaccounted for. Authorities have not officially confirmed the age of the rescued swimmer, but all sources agree he is a minor.

Search for the missing girl

The second swimmer is an 11-year-old girl, according to the ABC report. Europa Press also described the missing person as a girl, while eldiario.es noted that both swimmers appeared to be minors but that official confirmation would come only after the search concluded. A large-scale operation was launched immediately, involving air, sea and land assets. The search is being coordinated by the Canary Islands emergency services, with the goal of locating the girl as quickly as possible.

Multi-agency response

The search deployment includes a Salvamento Marítimo vessel, a helicopter from the Grupo de Emergencias y Salvamento (GES) of the Canary Islands government, and personnel from the Servicio de Urgencias Canario (SUC). On land, officers from the Guardia Civil, National Police and Local Police are combing the shoreline, while firefighters from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria have also joined the effort. The operation was still active as of late Tuesday afternoon, with teams continuing to sweep the area. No further updates were available by Tuesday evening.

What we know about the swimmers

The rescued boy was taken to the Hospital Materno Infantil, a facility specialising in paediatric care, which aligns with reports that he is a minor. His condition has not been disclosed. The missing girl's identity has not been released, and it is unclear whether the two swimmers were related or simply bathing together. The beach of La Laja is a popular spot, but conditions on Tuesday have not been detailed in the initial reports.

Emergency response coordination

The 112 emergency number is the central point for all incidents in the Canary Islands. The call on Tuesday was routed to Cecoes, which immediately activated the relevant resources. The swift deployment of a helicopter and a maritime rescue vessel reflects the seriousness with which authorities treat reports of missing persons at sea. The search area covers the waters off La Laja beach and the adjacent coastline. As of the latest reports, the search had not been suspended, and authorities were expected to continue operations into the evening.