A five-year-old British girl pulled unconscious from a swimming pool on a family trip to Spain has died.

The child was admitted to the Maternal and Child University Hospital of Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, on Thursday and tragically couldn’t be saved. This was the fourth death by drowning in the Canary Islands already in 2025 – the highest figure in at least last ten years.

The girl became ‘irreversibly brain dead’ after drowning in the pool, it is reported. Medics at the hospital in the capital of Gran Canaria tried to revive her without success, leaving her relatives devastated.

The little girl was on holiday with her family in the Canary Islands (Image: Getty Images)

The heartbreaking accident occurred on Thursday morning, when the girl, who has not been named, was with her family in a complex in the municipality of Pájara. She was pulled from the water before the pool’s lifeguard attempted to resuscitate her.

Once stabilised, she was transferred to the General Hospital of Fuerteventura. But due to the severity of her condition, she was sent by helicopter to Gran Canaria.

This is the fourth death of a minor by drowning in the Canary Islands so far this year. In April, an infant died in Lago Taurito, in the south of Gran Canaria. On that occasion, a two-year-old girl drowned in the water park while spending the day there with her family, residents of the island.

In a statement, the campaign group said: “The five-year-old girl who suffered a critical drowning episode in the pool of a hotel in Morro Jable (Pájara, Fuerteventura) died today. Due to the severe neurological consequences, she entered the so-called “brain death” stage.

“The little girl was spending her vacation on the island of Fuerteventura with her family, originally from England. It was around 1.30 am when the unconscious girl was pulled from the pool. Lifeguards performed CPR. The medical personnel from a SUC ambulance then continued providing care.”

“Due to the seriousness of the case, she was urgently evacuated by medical helicopter to the Materno Infantil University Hospital. A terrible and difficult episode, once again. Due to the seriousness of the case, she was urgently evacuated by medical helicopter to the Materno Infantil University Hospital.”

“Despite the efforts of the medical team, the little girl was unable to overcome the dramatic event that took her life.” This drowning incident, with a minor as the sad protagonist, is once again terrible and difficult.

“We at @‌canarias1500kmdecosta would like to express our condolences and solidarity to her family. Please take care of and supervise your children in the water.”

The Canary 112 emergency service reported immediately after the accident: “A child aged five recovered from cardiac arrest and was transferred in serious condition by medical helicopter from the SUC to the University Hospital of the Canary Islands.