In a familiar tale of influencers pushing boundaries for social media fame, Spanish network sensation Marina Rivera Saldana recently stirred controversy by swimming and diving in a bay where bathing is strictly prohibited due to a rising number of fatalities.
Photo sparks controversy
Saldana, known for sharing glamorous photos and videos from exotic locations across the globe on her Instagram, TikTok, and X pages, upset her 9.5 million followers across all platforms when she posted pictures of herself in a bikini enjoying the waters of the El Tancon cave in Santiago del Teide, Tenerife in the Canary Islands.
Despite its picturesque appearance in photos, the Blue Lagoon remains off-limits to tourists due to its “bopadero,” a natural chimney-like formation with unpredictable currents that pose challenges for rescue teams to reach, as reported by the Tenerife Weekly.
As of 2021, six individuals have tragically lost their lives in this bay.
The photos that ignited the controversy:
Unsurprisingly, Saldana faced severe criticism from her followers, who accused her of showing disrespect for the deceased and risking her life solely for social media approval.
One Instagram user commented that he found it disrespectful that she chose to bathe in a prohibited area. Another said that the location poses a life-threatening risk to anyone who ventures there. Promoting such a dangerous place is unacceptable.
A local resident expressed their frustration, saying that bathing is strictly forbidden and that they are tired of tourist’s disregard for their land.
The prominent warning sign that prohibits bathing:
Y se la pela pic.twitter.com/CH0sIJcxWW
— Robin ♡ MOJO DOJO CASA HOUSE (@Syndren_) September 2, 2023
On X, another user shared an official warning sign cautioning potential vacationers about the dangers, summing up the situation with the assertion, “All influencers will eventually vanish.”
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