A shore excursion for cruise guests in Tenerife ended in tragedy on Saturday, 8th November 2025, when a powerful wave struck a pier in Puerto de la Cruz, sweeping several people – including cruise passengers and locals – into the Atlantic Ocean.
One Tourist Dies After Being Pulled From the Sea
Among those caught in the incident was a Dutch woman who suffered a cardiac arrest after being rescued from the water.
Despite emergency efforts, she was pronounced dead before reaching hospital.
At least 10 tourists, most of whom had arrived earlier that morning on a cruise ship docked in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, were affected.
Officials have not yet confirmed which vessel the group travelled on, though Silversea’s Silver Dawn and TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 3 were both in port at the time.
A spokesperson for the coastal safety platform Canarias, 1,500 km de Costa, Sebastián Quintana, said none of the victims had entered the water voluntarily.
“No one was swimming – they were simply observing the sea,” he said.
The Canary Islands were under a red weather alert for dangerous coastal conditions, with waves of up to 15 feet (4.5 metres) reported.
Second Incident at Another Beach
Later that same afternoon, six French tourists were swept away by another large wave on Playa del Roque de las Bodegas, further north along the coast.
Emergency teams, including a rescue helicopter, managed to save all six.
One woman was airlifted to hospital with moderate injuries, while four others were taken by ambulance. According to local reports, the group had ignored a warning beacon marking hazardous conditions.
Multiple Fatalities Reported
In total, three people died and 15 were injured within a span of five hours as unusually strong waves pounded the island. Quintana described it as “the most tragic day” for Tenerife’s coastline in years.
Images shared by rescue services showed emergency personnel and bystanders assisting drenched victims on the promenade as waves continued to batter the shore.
Cruise Lines Monitoring the Situation
Cruise lines operating in the region, including Silversea, TUI Cruises, and P&O Cruises – whose ship Azura was also in port that weekend – are understood to be monitoring the situation and working with tour operators to review safety procedures for excursions.
Local authorities have opened an investigation to determine whether safety barriers, signage, and warnings were adequately in place at the time of the tragedy.
Early reports suggest that while red alerts were active, no cordons or tape were visible at the Puerto de la Cruz pier when the wave struck.
Concerns Over Coastal Safety
The disaster has renewed calls for tighter coastal safety enforcement in the Canary Islands, where sudden “mar de fondo” swells – long-period waves generated far offshore – can strike without warning.
Tenerife and its neighbouring islands are popular winter cruise destinations.
In 2024, more than four million cruise passengers visited Spain’s Atlantic island ports, many taking day trips to scenic coastal areas.
Between January and October 2025, Canarias, 1,500 km de Costa recorded 54 drowning deaths across the archipelago, several of which occurred during high-wave alerts.
Authorities continue to urge both residents and tourists to avoid piers, breakwaters, and rocky promenades whenever such warnings are in effect.
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