Horror As Body Of One Of Tenerife Missing Children Found
The Spanish authorities have located the body of six year old Olivia, the missing girl who went missing with her one-year-old sister Anna, on April 27th.
The discovery was made yesterday, Thursday 10th June.
The childrens father, Tomás Gimeno, 37, had collected the girls from the home of their mother and former partner, Beatriz Zimmerman, 35, in the municipality of Igueste de Candelaria, on the island of Tenerife and was last seen loading his boat which was found drifting on the 28th April.
Gimeno had reportedly told his ex-partner in a telephone conversation on the night he had collected them that she would never see the children again – but that he would take good care of them.
The authorities followed various lines of investigation, including that he had fled the island.
An extensive search effort has been in progress since then to locate the children.
Gimeno is believed to have taken the two little girls on his boat, which was later found abandoned and drifting off the coast of Tenerife.
Traces of the father’s blood were found on board. Later Anna’s car child safety seat was recovered floating in the sea.
The body was located three miles off the coast of Tenerife, 1,000 metres below the surface, in a weighed down bag, by the research vessel, Ángeles Alvariño, which is equiped with an advanced sonar system and operates an underwater vehicle.
The news of the discovery has seen widespread horror and repulsion expressed across Spain.
The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, tweeted that “he could not imagine the pain of the mother.”
No puedo imaginar el dolor de la madre de las pequeñas Anna y Olivia, desaparecidas en Tenerife, ante la terrible noticia que acabamos de conocer.
Mi abrazo, mi cariño y el de toda mi familia, que hoy se solidariza con Beatriz y sus seres queridos.
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) June 10, 2021
The Mayor of Santa Cruz, Jose Manuel Bermudez said: “there are no words to express the terrible desolation I feel,” and announced a minute’s silence for the children today, Friday 11th June.
The Canary Islands’ president,
Angel Victor Torres tweeted: “ Today we receive the worst possible, one that freezes our soul. Our condolences, encouragement and strength for their mum Beatriz, her family and friends. Canary Islands devastated.”
The search for the bodies of Anna and Tomás Gimeno is ongoing.