Beach Access Closed for Safety After Wall Collapse
Access to La Consolación beach in the El Guincho neighbourhood of Garachico has been closed since the middle of this month due to the partial collapse of a wall. A section of a platform located in the upper part of the bay gave way, though the cause has not yet been determined. Following a provisional cordon of the area by the Local Police and a report from technicians at Garachico Town Hall, a total closure was decreed on safety grounds.
Ownership and Next Steps Under Investigation
The local government is investigating whether the area of the collapse corresponds to private property or is municipally owned. This is a necessary preliminary step before sending the information to the General Directorate for the Coast and Canary Islands Maritime Space, which will determine the procedure to follow. The plot is affected by the public maritime-terrestrial domain.
Risk to Bathers Prompts Full Closure
The section of wall that fell into the water is on the side of a concrete path leading to several plots of land used for banana cultivation. For this reason, Garachico Town Hall technicians decided to close all access to the beach to prevent the rest of the platform from being affected or from injuring bathers who might approach the area. Guests at the hotel near La Consolación are also unable to access this part of Garachico’s coastline.
Hopes for a Summer Reopening
“We are expediting all necessary procedures to make a decision and act in the area,” explained the local government’s Councillor for Beaches, Andrés Hernández (CC), who did not commit to a date for the reopening of El Guincho beach. The caution is based on “the time required by the public administration” to complete the formalities. “We are going to try to have the bathing area open again before summer arrives,” he assured.
First, Hernández hopes the General Directorate for the Coast will advise whether it is necessary to repair the wall or proceed to demolish the remaining section. The platform that partially collapsed “doesn’t lead anywhere. It is not beach access, it is nothing. The danger is that it is situated above the sunbathing area, and if someone gets into the water there and it collapses, it is very dangerous,” argued Hernández.
Authorities Defend Comprehensive Safety Measure
According to the councillor, some people have complained about the total closure of the beach, thinking it possible to leave access open and enjoy the other part. However, he recalled that “you cannot cordon off an area that is in the water. We cannot control whether a bather positions themselves under the wall while swimming. Hence, there can be no access to La Consolación in any way,” he added. Residents of the El Guincho neighbourhood “are only concerned about knowing whether beach access will be open for summer or not,” concluded the Garachico Town Hall’s Beach Councillor.
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