Drone saves 14-year-old from drowning on a Spanish beach

A file photo shows a drone with a safety flotation device attached underneath flying over a beach north of Sydney. A similar drone helped save a struggling teenager caught in powerful tide off a beach in Valencia, Spain. — AFP

GANDIA, Spain: A pioneering drone lifeguard service rolled out across Spanish beaches saved the life of a 14-year-old boy this month as he struggled against a powerful tide off a beach in Valencia, its operators have said.

The drone dropped a life vest into the sea that was able to keep the teenager afloat just as he started to sink below the waves, until a physical lifeguard team arrived moments later.