Two British boys, aged 11 and 13, have drowned in eastern Spain.
The Spanish General Directorate of Civil Protection said in a statement that the two boys died on Tuesday evening after getting into difficulty off Llarga beach in Salou, Tarragones, Catalonia.
Their father had entered the water with them and was rescued, it added.
Catalan police told Sky News there was a yellow flag – meaning swimming is permitted but with caution due to potential hazards – at the time the children went into the sea.
They added that it appeared the boys had difficulty getting back to the beach as they struggled with the high tide in a rocky part of the coastline.
Officers also said the father was resuscitated after receiving CPR for several minutes and that the family was staying in a hotel just in front of Llarga beach.
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The General Directorate of Civil Protection added in its statement that emergency services were called to the area at 8.47pm.
Seven ground units from the Medical Emergency System (SEM) were involved in the response.
It brings the number of deaths on Catalan beaches this summer to 16, the directorate added.
The Salou Local Police, the Mossos d’Esquadra regional police force and the Generalitat Fire Department also responded to the incident.
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “We are supporting the family of two British children who have died in Spain and are in contact with the local authorities.”
