The leisure and bathing area of Los Charcos in Valleseco has resulted in new injuries and various safety issues among users visiting this popular coastal spot during the summer months. The latest incident involved a young man who, last Friday, cut his heel while climbing one of the railings leading to the sea, prompting an immediate transfer to the Casa del Mar health centre, where he received stitches.
Affected individuals claim these accidents stem from the “poor condition” of the facilities, which show severe deterioration with loose, rusted railings, broken stairs, and mould on the access ramps for individuals with reduced mobility, putting all visitors at risk. “These deficiencies are not trivial; they represent a real and ongoing danger,” they assert.
“This bathing area, which features platforms designed for jumping into the water and enjoying time with family or friends, was theoretically meant to be a safe and attractive space for locals and visitors. However, the reality is very different,” stated one user.
Many bathers end up with significant injuries, something the lifeguards from the Red Cross working in the area have described as a “theme park” due to the high number of accidents. They informed DIARIO DE AVISOS that they have had to close off several access points to the sea, reporting to the municipal council, as an average of three accidents occur daily, particularly on the marine platforms, caused by the movements generated by waves from boats entering or leaving the dock, in addition to incidents reported at the ramp for the disabled due to mould.
Recent Works
The Los Charcos area was inaugurated in March 2024 when the Port Authority handed over the completed project to the Santa Cruz Council, which is now responsible for its maintenance. In this regard, municipal sources stated yesterday that the Public Services department is conducting technical reports on these infrastructures to address issues and ensure user safety.
The father of one of the young men injured last weekend has claimed on social media that “the council has not taken effective measures for better management of the area, where, in addition to the dangers posed by the deteriorating facilities, groups of youths from different neighbourhoods frequently engage in fights.”
“While with my son and his friends at this location, one suffered a foot injury that required three stitches. Fortunately, it was not more serious and he was up to date with his vaccinations, but the shock was enormous. Now, during the school holidays, he must rest for ten days, with reduced mobility and missing the start of the sports season with his teammates. What should have been a day of fun turned into a distressing experience and limitation for him. The most astonishing part is that before the day ended, we saw another young man, around 16 years old, in a similar situation, but this time with a wound halfway up his leg,” explained the affected individual.
In the view of this resident, what is happening in this bathing area in Santa Cruz is a “genuine disgrace, as despite warnings from lifeguards and users, nothing has been done to repair the facilities, which are in a lamentable state, especially the fencing and stairs leading to the sea. We are not asking for a favour; we demand respect and safety, as we deserve dignified and secure spaces to enjoy, just as the area was marketed a little over a year ago. It’s unbelievable that there is no regular maintenance and inspections of this area, and that there is no effort to warn, close, seal, change, or fix what is wrong to avoid endangering people.”
Temporary Closure
It is worth noting that on April 3rd, the Council temporarily closed Los Charcos due to accident risks. This situation arose following an inspection carried out by the Canary Health Service, which identified deficiencies centred on the lighting points of the facilities for individuals with disabilities; the need for thorough cleaning of access points to the sea due to the presence of algae on the ground and walls, creating slippery surfaces; demands to remove rust from railings; improving safety conditions on stairs leading to the sea; and wiring issues, among others.
During a municipal control commission held days later, the Councillor for Public Services, Carlos Tarife, stated that of the 264 fencing modules installed at Los Charcos, 197 exhibited some form of deficiency, which is 75% of the total. Since its inauguration, numerous incidents have been reported in this bathing area.
