TRIBUTES HAVE BEEN paid to an Irish holidaymaker who drowned on the Costa del Sol during Spain’s historic blackout.

Darren Pilson, 53, from Howth, Co Dublin, was pulled out of the water after getting into difficulty off a beach in the resort of La Carihuela near Torremolinos.

A Dutchman who went to aid him after seeing him in distress revealed he passed away after they were unable to contact the emergency services by phone or online following the power outage on Monday, 28 April.

Menno van Oorschot also claimed in a Facebook post the dead man was recently widowed and had died in front of relatives including a son he had taken on holiday following their loss.

A death notice published at the weekend said: “The death occurred of Darren Pilson, Howth, Co. Dublin on April 28. Tragically in Spain.

The incident happened around 5pm last Monday afternoon.

Mr van Oorschot said in an agonising social media post, describing the day as “very sad” and recounting the problems caused by the power outage on the beach he was on: “The sea was very rough and there was a mega strong current. Lifeguards were nowhere to be seen because it is not yet high season.

“We were surprised that some people let their children play in the wild sea. We kept glancing sideways over the big waves.

“While we were drinking our drinks on the beach, I caught a glimpse of someone going under in the sea about 80 meters away from us.

“Quickly and without hesitation, I dashed into the sea towards that person.

“Together with quite a few others, we got him onto the beach and started resuscitating.

“Unfortunately, all our efforts were in vain. And unfortunately, the man has passed away.

“The realization of how much we depend on the internet and telephone really hit me hard. There was no way to call the emergency services, and when the police finally arrived, the ambulance could only be alerted via the walkie-talkie. This all took an incredibly long time, too long.

“What touches me the most is that the man we pulled out of the water with all our might was on vacation with his son and grandmother to cope with the loss of the boy’s mother, who unfortunately passed away six weeks before the vacation.

“The father has also passed away, and that deeply affects me. The feeling of helplessness still hits me hard, even though I know that we all did everything we could today to save the man’s life.”

Well-placed sources said: “The police had lots of problems trying to contact the courts so they could authorise the removal of the man’s body.”

Last Monday’s blackout had already been linked to five deaths, including that of a family of three in Ourense, Galicia, thought to have been killed by carbon monoxide fumes from a faulty generator.