British holidaymaker and son drown in Majorca
A British family suffered tragedy on their first ever foreign holiday when the father and his seven-year-old son drowned.
George Selby, 28, jumped into the sea to rescue his son Louis, who had been swept off a stairway by a large wave.
The accident happened on Saturday morning at Cala Antena, a cove near the resort of Calas de Mallorca on the east coast of the island. The family of five, from Hornchurch in Essex, had arrived the previous morning and were walking up a staircase from the Hotel Balmoral, where they were staying, to reach another part of the cove.
Mr Selby’s wife Abigail rushed to the hotel for help and lifeguards pulled the pair from the sea, but they were unable to revive them.
A police source said: "It appears the young boy was swept from the rocks by a large wave, and the father naturally dived in to try to save him. The sea was ferocious with very strong waves crashing on to the rocks, and when it’s like that those stairs are extremely dangerous. The staircase really should be closed off when the weather is like that."
A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: "We are aware of the tragic deaths of two British nationals in Majorca. We are providing consular assistance to the family."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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