A loggerhead turtle has been rescued and returned to the sea after becoming entangled in nets and ropes near Cabo de Palos.
The animal was spotted on Saturday in a rocky area of small coves between the fishing village and the Calblanque Regional Park. Juan Miguel Sánchez Mellinas and Álvaro González Gómez had gone there to practise diving when they noticed the turtle struggling.
With the assistance of a tourist who was nearby, the two men worked to free the reptile from the tangled debris. Once released, the turtle was able to swim back into open water.
The incident has highlighted the ongoing threat that discarded fishing gear and marine litter pose to wildlife along the region’s coastline, particularly protected species such as the loggerhead turtle.
This article was written with AI assistance and reviewed by a human editor before publication.