Spanish TV Reporter Swept Away by Wave Live on Air
A journalist reporting on dangerous coastal conditions was unexpectedly hit by a large wave, causing his broadcast to cut out momentarily.
A Spanish television reporter was engulfed by a powerful wave while broadcasting live from the Basque coast, an incident captured on camera and widely shared online. Sergio Ovejero, reporting for ETB2 from Ondarroa, was warning viewers about dangerous sea conditions due to an orange weather alert when the wave swept over the sea wall.
The force of the water knocked Ovejero and his camerawoman, Raquel Vidal, to the ground, and the camera fell, interrupting the live feed. Back in the studio, presenter Odei Esnaola expressed immediate shock and concern for his colleagues.
Both Ovejero and Vidal were later confirmed to be unharmed. Ovejero himself reassured viewers shortly after the incident that he and his colleague were "completely fine and dry."
The video of the event quickly gained traction on social media, amassing hundreds of thousands of views. While many viewers found humor in the situation, some raised concerns about the decision to film in an area with active weather warnings. Ovejero later clarified that the crew had been in the location for over an hour and had not anticipated being hit by such a large wave.
The incident occurred during a period of severe weather across Spain, which experienced torrential rain and flooding, particularly along the Mediterranean coast. Storm Adam caused rivers to overflow, inundating streets and forcing evacuations. Simultaneously, Spain's Atlantic coast faced heavy rain and strong winds, with waves reaching heights of up to five meters along the coasts of Galicia and the Basque Country.