A mother and her two children, aged 11 and three, died after getting into difficulty while swimming in the Esca River in northern Spain. The family was found dead at the Roncal dam, a popular site in the Pyrenees known for its clear waters and picnic areas.
Emergency services, including paramedics and an air ambulance, responded to the scene after the alarm was raised at 4:39 p.m. on Tuesday. Rescuers attempted resuscitation for over an hour, but all three victims were pronounced deceased at the scene.
The Spain's Civil Guard is investigating the incident, treating the deaths as accidental and looking to confirm there were no suspicious circumstances. The identities of the victims, who were from the Roncal Valley, have not been released.
In response to the tragedy, the Roncal Town Council declared three days of official mourning, expressing deep sorrow and solidarity with the families of the deceased.
This incident occurred during a period of increased drowning fatalities across Spain. Over the weekend of July 10–12, eight people died in separate drowning incidents at various locations, including beaches, a hotel swimming pool, a river, and a reservoir. The victims included elderly individuals, swimmers, and tourists in multiple regions. Some victims could not be revived despite resuscitation efforts, and one body was recovered after a search operation. Drownings were reported after lifeguard hours had ended and during conditions where a yellow warning flag was present.