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Rescue and Emergency Services.

The number to call emergency services when you are staying in the island is 112 and is free to call just like 999 in the U.K. Tenerife is popularly known as a destination for outdoor activities and sports but sometimes things go awry and we need help from the emergency services.

The tourism authorities are activley marketing the island as an ideal location for 'activity' holidays such as windsurfing, jet skiing, star gazing, mountain climbing, walking e.t.c and it is little known amongst tourists that in 2012 the Canarian Government passed a law in which they could legally charge for emergency services and rescues where those in need were performing 'risky' activities.

These islands are not the only unique autonomous community to have such a law and other regions in the peninsula have passed similar laws too such as, Catalonia (Barcelona).

The law can be found HERE in the 'Boletin Oficial de Canarias'. Depending on the group size the law decrees that a charge from €6,000 up to €12,000 could be given.

boletin

The list of 'risky' activities can be interpretated as it says 'this type of activity' therefore similar activites will be deemed to be included in this list.

Not every activity translates into English directly so I will provide both English and Spanish lists.


Spanish

· Submarinismo

· Travesía de natación

· Windsurfing

· Flysurf

· Esquí acuático

· Wakeboard

· Wakesurf

· Skurfer

· Motos de agua

· Bodyboard

· Surf

· Rafting

· Hydrospeed

· Piragüismo

· Remo

· Descenso de cañones y barrancos

· Puenting

· Goming

· Kite buggy

· Quads

· Escalda

· Espeleología deportiva o "espeleismo"

· Bicicleta en montaña

· Raid y trec hípico

· Marchas y turismo ecuestre

· Esquí

· Snowboard

· Paraski

· Snowbike

· Skibike

· Aerostación

· Paracaidimo

· Salto base

· Vuelo de ultraligeros

· Vuelo en aparatos con motor y sin motor

· Parapente

· Ala delta y parasailing


English

· Scuba diving

· Open sea swimming

· Windsurfing

· Kitesurfing

· Waterskiing

· Wakeboarding

· Wakesurf

· Skurfing

· Jet Skiing

· Bodyboarding

· Surfing

· Rafting

· Hydro kayaking

· Rowing

· Descending barrancos

· Bungee jumping

· Kite buggy

· Quads

· Rock climbing

· Pot holing

· Mountain biking

· Motorcross

· Mountain motorbiking

· Equestrian trekking

· Horse riding

· Skiing

· Snowboarding

· Paraskiing

· Snowbiking

· Skibiking

· Hot air ballooning

· Parachuting

· Base jumping

· Ultralight flying

· Powered paragliding

· Paragliding

· Hang gliding

· Prasailing


Some of the charges may be as follows: for groups up to 4, up to €6,000 charge. Groups between 5-8 maximum charge could be €8,000. For groups between 9-16 up to €10,000 charge and finally groups of 16+ could be up to €12,000 charge.