Exhausted loggerhead turtles rescued off Costa Tropical

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The marine reptiles were found by Marine biologist and influencer Charlie Sarria and the owner of the Open Water Diving Centre Marcos González 'Boychi' in La Herradura

Inés Gallastegui

Granada

Friday, 27 February 2026, 14:05

Marine biologist and influencer Charlie Sarria and the owner of the Open Water Diving Centre in La Herradura, Marcos González 'Boychi', were on their boats about two miles off the Granada province coast on Sunday 23 February when they came across several loggerhead turtles, an endangered species in the Mediterranean.

The young turtles were reportedly very weak after intense storms with strong winds and waves in recent weeks. "They looked exhausted and couldn't dive. They are reptiles and need to be in the sun, but one of them had almost all of its shell covered with algae," Charlie Sarria explained to IDEAL

After alerting 112, they decided to take the two weakest turtles, which are now recovering at Sea Shore, a centre in Algeciras that works with public authorities in the protection of marine life.

"They are recovering well, although one of them defecated a plastic clothes peg," says the biologist from Malaga and contributor to National Geographic. "They have been given our names, Boychi and Charlie, and we hope that they will let us know when they are to be released," he added. A video of the rescue operation can be seen here.