Compiled with the help of artificial intelligence, based on Spanish-language information. Source below the article.
Tourists defy ban and take a dip in Santa Cruz landmark
Around twenty tourists have been caught bathing in the pond at Plaza de España in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, despite the practice being strictly forbidden by municipal regulations. The visitors decided to cool off in the water feature as if it were a public swimming pool in the heart of the capital.
A video posted on social media on Friday 14 August showed the unusual scene at the Santa Cruz pond. With temperatures soaring, the tourists, both adults and children, succumbed to temptation and climbed in. The footage shows some beginning to remove their shoes and follow the lead of those who had already entered the water and were enjoying the cooler temperatures of the artificial lake.
Fines of up to €300 for rule-breakers
Anyone caught swimming in the pond faces a fine from Santa Cruz Town Hall of between €60 and €300. The exact amount depends on the severity of the offence, whether the individual is a repeat offender, and any damage caused to the municipal heritage. The prohibition is set out in Article 128 of the local ordinance on Policing and Good Governance, and the installation is legally classified as a decorative fountain.
This is not the first time such an incident has occurred at the Plaza de España pond. Back in 2016, local police fined a 19-year-old who was spotted bathing in the water on an inflatable lilo. As for this latest group of around twenty tourists, it is unclear whether officers intervened to get them out of the water, which covers part of the square.
The local authority has warned that the water in the pond is not treated to the same sanitary standards as a swimming pool, and that bathing could pose health risks, including infections, fungal conditions, or conjunctivitis.
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