British woman dies after parasailing accident off Benidorm beach

A sudden change in weather conditions and a snapped rope are believed to have caused the tragedy, which is now under Guardia Civil investigation

A 66-year-old British woman has died following a parasailing accident off Levante Beach in Benidorm on Monday afternoon. She had been taking part in the activity with her husband, a 47-year-old British man, when conditions changed suddenly and the parachute went out of control.

The alert was received by emergency services at around 6.50pm. According to witnesses on the beach, the tether connecting the parachute to the boat snapped mid-flight, leaving the couple at the mercy of the wind. The parachute was carried from the Levante area towards Rincón de Loix, where it struck the rocks with considerable force. "It was clear they were going to crash," witnesses told local media, describing the moments before impact with particular anguish.

The woman suffered multiple traumas and went into cardiorespiratory arrest after the impact. Emergency services transported her to the Port of Benidorm, where paramedics worked to resuscitate her, initially with some success. She was then taken to Marina Baixa Hospital in the neighbouring town of Villajoyosa, where she later died. Her husband was treated for multiple injuries and transferred to the University Hospital of Sant Joan d'Alacant.

The day in Benidorm had been marked by high temperatures and humidity, with the town recording the highest temperature in the entire Valencian Community at 35.7°C. Around 6.00pm, conditions shifted sharply, with rain and a strong gust of wind arriving without much warning. The vessel carrying out the activity had set sail under a yellow flag, which permits navigation with certain precautions, but the red flag was raised as conditions deteriorated.

The rope used in parasailing activities of this kind is approximately eight millimetres thick, and its breakage is one of the key elements the investigation will need to examine. The Guardia Civil has opened a formal investigation, taking statements from witnesses and those involved in organising the activity, as well as gathering information about the boat and the conditions at the time.

The official cause of the accident has not yet been confirmed, and the investigation remains open.

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