A 56-year-old man has died while scuba diving off the coast of Almeria after getting into difficulty during an underwater excursion.

The incident occurred at Cala Mochuela in Cuevas del Almanzora on Saturday morning.

According to the 112 emergency service, the alarm was raised at around 11am when a witness reported that one of a group of divers needed urgent assistance while carrying out a dive alongside instructors.

The man had entered the water from a boat and was reportedly at a depth of around 35 metres when the emergency occurred.

His companions were the first to respond and brought him back to the surface before transferring him aboard a Zodiac inflatable boat.

Possible medical emergency

During the call to 112, the witness suggested that the diver may have suffered a sudden medical episode, with a possible epileptic seizure mentioned as one possibility.

The incident occurred in waters between Cuevas del Almanzora and neighbouring Pulpi, in the easternmost part of Almeria province.

A major emergency response was activated, involving the Guardia Civil, paramedics, Salvamento Maritimo, Civil Protection and local beach services.

Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.