An 8-year-old boy lost his life yesterday evening within the municipality of albuñol at the eastern end of Costa Tropical.

The child had been bathing in a natural pool in the Paraje del Río when the the incident, which the Guardia Civil are investigating, took place.

The Policía Local and the Guardia Civil were called out to the scene, together with medical staff from the centro de salud in Albuñol. They tried CPR on the minor but to no avail.

The boy’s family, although residents of Motril, were originally from Albuñol which is where they normally spend their summer holidays.

The Mayor of Albuñol, María José Sánchez, said that the townsfolk were “dismayed” by the news and that the Town Hall expressed its condolences to the family and friends of the victim.

The area where it happened has been kitted out as a municipal recreational/BBQ area but bathing in the river there is forbidden. There are notice boards pointing this out.

The rockpool is 1.5 metres deep and used to be where the women of the village would do their laundry. It was restored as such in 2009.

The Town Hall has declared three days of official mourning starting yesterday and all official flags will be flown at half mast.

(News: Albuñol, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia – Photo: Clara Cerezo)