A Spanish social media influencer is facing backlash online for taking a dip in a cove where bathing has been banned following several deaths.
Marina Rivera Saldana frequently posts pictures and photos of herself at exotic locations to her Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok pages, where she collectively enjoys over 9 million followers. Now, in a recent post, taken on August 31, Ms Rivers uploaded photos of herself swimming in the Sapphire waters of the El Tancon cave in Santiago del Teide, Tenerife in the Canary Islands.
"I'm a little mermaid from Makoo," the social media star wrote in Spanish in the caption of the photo.
Take a look below:
According to the New York Post, the Canary Islands cave is off-limits to tourists due to its natural chimney-like formation with unpredictable currents that make it difficult for rescue teams to access. As of 2021, six people have died in the cove, and local authorities have banned people from swimming in it.
Needless to say, Ms Rivers' post sparked anger from commenters online, who accused the influencer of disrespecting the dead and risking her life for social media clout.
Writing in Spanish, one person wrote, "Bathing is prohibited there. We are tired of tourists who do not respect our land." Another added, "It seems disrespectful to me that you are bathing in a place that is PROHIBITED, which is FENCED and SIGNED for which bathing is prohibited and you enter because of the photo and publish it on top of that. People have died where you are, it is not a suitable swimming area."
A third user wrote, "That place is a death trap for those who dare to bathe. Such a dangerous place should not be advertised," while another said, "You should think about removing the publication due to your position as an influencer. You probably haven't thought about the risks involved, but that place could have literally swallowed you or hit the extremes without being able to control the situation".
Microblogging site X also added a Community Notes advisory on Ms Rivers' post, in which it said that her images could "encourage people to go to the place and bathe, a danger since several people have died in the place in recent years".
Meanwhile, since being shared, Ms Rivers' Instagrame post has accumulated more than 228,000 likes and thousands of comments. On X, her post garnered more than 3 million views and over 15,000 likes.
Featured Video Of The Day
Ishaan Khatter's Dinner Date With Rumored Girlfriend Chandni Bainz
Influencer Tries Cheesecake With Baked Beans And We Can't Digest The Idea Indian YouTuber Who Criticised Iconic Las Vegas Hotel Gets Room Upgrade, Company Responds Viral: X User Shares Photo Of Water Filter Turned Brown In Noida, Internet Calls It "Scary" Kolkata Rape-Murder: Fractures, 150 mg Semen, Other Claims Denied By Cops Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah To Be Prosecuted In Land Scam Case CBI Team At Kolkata Hospital For Digital Mapping Of Crime Scene US Teen Robs Convenience Store, Then Kills Man Of Indian Origin On CCTV, Stray Dog Goes On Biting Spree In UP, 17 People Attacked In 1 Hour NIRF 2024: Check States With Maximum Top Colleges In The Overall Category Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.