British tourist, 71, collapses and dies on Greek beach

A 71-year-old British woman tragically died after getting into trouble in the water off the southern coast of the Greek island of Crete yesterday.

The woman, who had gone for a swim in the early afternoon, began to feel unwell shortly after entering the water in the popular seaside town of Agia Galini.

She successfully reached the shore after realising her condition was deteriorating and turning back, but she collapsed soon after arriving back on land, according to a report by Cretapost.

Emergency responders were dispatched to the scene and made every effort to revive her but were unable to save her life.

She was transported to Rethymnon hospital, where she was officially pronounced dead. 

A preliminary investigation is being conducted by the local Port Authority of Agia Galini to determine the circumstances surrounding her death.

Her death follows that of another British tourist, aged 66, who lost her life after passing out while swimming at Achladies beach in Skiathos in July.

The woman had left her hotel to go for a swim on the picturesque beach on the south of the island, CNN Greece reported, when she fell unconscious in the water and was pulled out of the sea by a lifeguard.

Medical professionals performed CPR and immediately took the woman to the nearby Skiathos Health Centre, but they were sadly unable to save her life.

The woman is believed to have lost consciousness in the 'intense heat in the area', with temperatures soaring to 31C on the island and little respite.

An excessive heat warning was in place on Skiathos at the time amid a European heatwave.

In May, a British tourist drowned while swimming in the sea during a day trip to the Greek island of Kalymnos.

The 76-year-old is believed to have drowned before he could be pulled from the water and helped by emergency responders at the port of Vathi.

Six tourists were found dead in Greece in June alone, with officials warning of the perils of an intense heatwave sweeping the Mediterranean.