Tragedy as Irish pilgrim, 35, drowns during sunset swim in Atlantic after 500-mile hike across northern Spain
- Timothy Kelleher, 35, died after swimming in treacherous waters in Finisterre
- He is thought to have completed a pilgrimage from France to northern Spain
- Locals pulled him out of the sea at around 8pm after seeing he was in difficulties
An Irish pilgrim has drowned after taking a sunset dip in treacherous waters of the Atlantic at the end of a 500-mile hike across northern Spain.
The 35-year-old, named locally as Timothy Kelleher, died after bathing in the Galician town of Finisterre on Thursday – at a beach known for strong currents.
He is thought to have just completed the famous Way of Saint James, better known as the Camino de Santiago, a 500-mile most start in St Jean de Luz in France and finish in the Galician cathedral city the pilgrimage is named after.
The 35-year-old, named locally as Timothy Kelleher, died after bathing in the Galician town of Finisterre (pictured) on Thursday – at a beach known for strong currents
Many people who complete the five-week journey end up continuing after reaching Santiago to Cabo Finisterre, a rock-bound peninsula, a five-day walk from the cathedral city which in Roman times was believed to be the end of the known world.
The tragedy involving the Irishman, from Ballyvourney in Co Cork, occurred at a beach called Mar de Fora which is known as being one of the most dangerous in the Finisterre area.
The man was with two female friends who raised the alarm around 8pm on Thursday after seeing he was in difficulties in the water.
Locals are understood to have pulled him out of the sea and spent around 40 minutes trying to revive him as paramedics raced to the scene before a doctor arrived and pronounced him dead.
The tragedy involving the Irishman, from Ballyvourney in Co Cork, occurred at a beach called Mar de Fora (pictured) which is known as being one of the most dangerous in the Finisterre area
Deputy mayor Xan Carlos Sar told regional newspaper La Voz de Galicia: ‘The sea was rough and the women saw him being swept away by currents.
‘The emergency services were alerted and when Civil Protection workers arrived they had hold of him and were dragging him back towards the beach.
‘They spent 40 minutes trying to revive him before an ambulance arrived and a doctor on board certified him dead.’
e is thought to have just completed the famous Way of Saint James, better known as the Camino de Santiago, a 500-mile most start in St Jean de Luz in France and finish in the Galician cathedral city the pilgrimage is named after (stock photo)
David Lopez, a local who assisted in the rescue, told another local paper: ‘A lad from town called
‘Andres tried to save him but couldn’t do anything. All the doctor could do was certify his death.’
Another local is said to have warned the group the dead man was it was dangerous to go into the sea before the tragedy occurred.
Another pilgrim died in similar circumstances in 2010.