Three Turks drowned at Spanish resort during education project

Şakir Çelik, 19, Serdar Fidan, 18, and computer teacher Ümit Nalbant, 30, drowned at sea, while 17-year-old student Hurşit Özbay was rescued by lifeguards at the last minute. 

Andalusia Governorate officials said the group had gone to swim outside the area of the beach where locals go swimming.

The Marbella Municipality has declared three days of mourning due to the incident, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency reported. Marbella Mayor Angeles Munoz also sent a condolence message via his social media account.

Turkish EU Minister Volkan Bozkır issued a message of condolence to the relatives of the dead via his Twitter account.

The Spanish media reported that there were neither lifeguards on the beach nor a flag raised indicating the condition of the sea. However, a local city councilor stated that the swimming season was not due to begin until June 15, explaining the lack of lifeguards. 

One of the divers involved in the rescue work said there had been strong winds in the area for the last two days, making the sea dangerous.

The group, from the western province of Çanakkale, went to Spain on April 4 as a part of an EU education project, and was scheduled to return on April 18.