Spanish authorities are warning residents and tourists to stay away from La Línea’s Levante and Santa Bárbara beaches – neighbouring Gibraltar – after a mass stranding of dangerous marine organisms.
Portuguese Man O’War – a highly toxic species often mistaken for jellyfish – trigger immediate severe pain even after brief contact and can cause potentially fatal reactions, including breathing difficulties and cardiac arrest.
Strong westerly winds in the Mediterranean and a change in spring current patterns in the Strait of Gibraltar have caused mass stranding.
The public has been urged not to touch them, even if beached, as their tentacles remain venomous long after death and can still sting through latex gloves.
Officials have also warned that more organisms could arrive in the coming days due to persistent weather conditions.
Clean-up crews have worked since early Monday to remove the creatures, which are recognisable by their distinctive blue-tinted, gas-filled sacs.
Anyone stung should seek immediate medical attention and avoid common folklore remedies like vinegar or urine, which can make the sting worse.
Instead, rinse with seawater and carefully remove any visible tentacles with tweezers.
Portuguese Man O’War cannot swim, hence why they are at the mercy of the winds and often wash ashore. They live on the water’s surface – in the Atlantic and Indian oceans – held afloat by a gas-filled bladder.
The species is responsible for up to 10,000 human stings in Australia each summer, particularly on the east coast.
In 1987, a man died after being stung by a Portuguese Man O’War in Florida. He went into cardiovascular collapse and respiratory arrest. In 2010, a woman died after being stung by a while swimming off Sardinia. Her death was thought to be due to anaphylactic shock.
