Anaga Beaches to Get Year-Round Lifeguards from 2026

Anaga's beaches will have lifeguards all year, starting in 2026. This news comes from Gladis de León, the City Councilor for Security and Emergencies, who told DIARIO DE AVISOS that the city is already preparing a new contract. This contract will cover rescue, surveillance, assistance, buoy placement, and sea access services along the municipality's coast.

Ms. de León explained that the current beach safety contract is ending soon. The new contract, which is now being written, will include an extra 300,000 euros. This money will help expand the lifeguard service on Anaga's coasts to operate all year, with full rescue equipment and even boats. Right now, beaches like Almáciga, Benijo, and Roque de las Bodegas only have lifeguards during Easter or the summer months.

This decision to increase lifeguard presence comes after a rise in drownings and rescues in recent months. Just last weekend, a 39-year-old man died at Almáciga beach while swimming with friends, despite dangerous sea conditions. Two other people also drowned at the same beach last year.

Because of these tragic incidents, the City Council is urging everyone to pay attention to the signs on the beaches. These signs provide important warnings about swimming risks, not only due to sea conditions but also, at Benijo beach, because access is forbidden due to landslide dangers on the cliffs.

Ms. de León noted that "many people ignore the signs or the ban on accessing Benijo." Fences and warning signs have been vandalized or removed multiple times. This disregard is clear from the fact that security services had to evacuate ten people from Benijo beach in February, June, August, and September alone.

Local Police data shows that throughout the year, eleven swimmers have been rescued, mostly in June, September, and October. These rescues were possible thanks to the municipal lifeguard service (which operates during Easter and summer), as well as the local surfing community and fishermen.

To prevent more deaths on the Anaga coast, Ms. de León also announced that police patrols in the area will be increased. Officers will frequently patrol the coastal areas and warn anyone they see in the water about potential dangers.

The councilor believes these two measures will help reduce the reckless behavior of many people who swim despite danger warnings. She stated, "We would like to have permanent police patrols along this coast, but for now, we are limited by staff numbers, though patrols will be stepped up." She added that once the lifeguard service is expanded to be continuous, similar to beaches like Las Teresitas, Las Gaviotas, or Los Charcos, they hope to prevent further deaths, especially since most people ignoring warnings are tourists.

However, the CSIF union, representing Santa Cruz Local Police, criticized the current situation. They stated that only two officers are assigned to the Anaga area, making it impossible for them to cover the entire mountain range and its coasts. The union also argued that having lifeguards only during Easter and summer "makes no sense," adding that "thanks to surfers and fishermen, there are no more misfortunes."