British tourist, 70, drowns while on holiday 'to celebrate his birthday' with his wife in Menorca after getting into difficulties in the sea

• The 70-year-old man was taking a dip at Son Bou beach and got into difficulty

A British tourist has drowned during a holiday with his wife in Menorca.

The 70-year-old man was taking a dip at Son Bou beach, the island’s longest, on its south coast when the tragic incident unfolded.

Other beachgoers spotted him in difficulties and raced into the water to try to assist him while others rang 999.

Emergency medical responders spent more than half an hour trying to revive him when they reached the scene but were unable to save him.

Local reports said the unnamed tourist’s wife had been with him at the time but stayed on the shoreline while he went into the sea.

They are understood to have travelled to Menorca to celebrate his birthday.

They were staying at a property on a residential estate in Sant Lluis a short drive from the beach where the tragedy occurred.

They are understood to have travelled to Menorca to celebrate his birthday

Local reports said a post-mortem had confirmed drowning as the cause of death.

The incident occurred around 5pm on Monday but the man’s nationality has only just been made public.

Son Bou beach is around two miles long and is a reference on the island because of its clean and crystalline waters and white sand.

In October 2022 a British man drowned at a private swimming pool in Menorca.

A maintenance man reportedly discovered his body floating in the water.

The 64-year-old Brit is said to have owned the property where he was found dead.

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