Huge waves hit Tenerife in Canary Islands | Puerto Santiago Rock Pool Los Gigantes | South Tenerife

The Canary Island of Tenerife was hit by strong winds and powerful, high waves on Saturday. The three reported deaths occurred in different locations on the island.

At one point, about ten people were swept away when a wave hit a pier in Puerto de la Cruz on the northern part of the island. Nine of the people were rescued, but one woman died after suffering a cardiac arrest. Three of the rescued people were seriously injured, reports El País .

Swede Christoffer Holmgren had just left the popular ocean pool in Puerto de la Cruz with his girlfriend and one-year-old son when the wave hit.

"It was terrible. We saw people being thrown into the water. We were only 30 meters away, you felt completely helpless," he tells Aftonbladet .

There were at least three lifeless people on the ground, and people were desperately trying to perform CPR before the ambulance arrived.

Earlier in the day, six French tourists were swept into the sea by a giant wave in northeastern Tenerife. Five of them are being treated in hospital, but their injuries are considered minor.

On Saturday afternoon, two deceased men were also found in the water along beaches on the northern and southern parts of the island. The circumstances there are unclear.

A total of at least 15 people were injured by the waves.