A British brother and sister, aged 11 and 13, have died after drowning off a beach on the east coast of Spain, according to local authorities.
The boys died on Tuesday evening after entering the water at Llarga beach in Salou, Tarragona, the civil protection force for the Catalonia region said.
Emergency services were called at 20:47 local time and the children’s father, who had also entered the water, was rescued alive.
Officials earlier reported that the children who died had both been boys, rather than a boy and a girl.
The head of the local police, José Luis Gargallo, said: “A father, along with his son and daughter, was struggling to return to shore. Emergency services managed to pull all three from the water, but tragically, the boy and girl could not be saved despite the best efforts of rescuers.”
“The father survived, thanks to the rescue operation, although he had swallowed a large amount of water and was in a state of exhaustion,” said Mr Gargallo.
“The family has five children. The mother had stayed at the hotel with the couple’s three other children. “
Mr Gargallo said that lifeguards on the beach worked until 20:00 in the evening, and had finished by the time the emergency call came in.
He added that 99% of the time, there is no danger on that beach, and it is considered an ideal spot for swimming.
“But yesterday was different – not just at that beach, but along the entire coast.”
He said people sometimes underestimate the power of the sea, especially in that area, which “is usually very calm”.
Speaking to the BBC, local authorities in Salou said they were deeply saddened by Tuesday night’s tragedy.
A minute’s silence was held outside Salou town hall just before midday on Wednesday.
Police earlier said sea conditions were rough and the beach had a yellow flag throughout the day – meaning swimming is allowed but caution is advised – local media reported.
Seven medical units were dispatched to the scene and police and fire services also attended.
Authorities also sent a team of psychologists to support the family.
A 54-year-old German man also drowned on Tuesday at the beach of Cap de Sant Pere de Cambrils, a short distance along the coast from Llarga beach.
The deaths bring the number of fatalities on Catalan beaches to 16 since the summer season began on 15 June – five more than the same period last year, officials added.
A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office said: “We are supporting the family of two British children who have died in Spain and are in contact with the local authorities.”
The civil protection force urged “the importance of taking extreme precautions on beaches, swimming pools and inland waters this summer”.
According to figures from the Salou municipality, around 1.3 million British tourists visit the town each year.
It comes after a number of other British deaths in Spain this summer.
Two British men, aged 19 and 26, died in separate incidents at a hotel and music venue in Ibiza earlier this month.
