Yzabelle Bostyn
A WARNING has been issued after Portuguese man o’war jellyfish were spotted floating off an Ibiza beach.
Eagle-eyed beach goers spotted Portuguese man o’war jellyfish off the coast of Sant Antoni, Ibiza, near the Cala Gracio yesterday.
They are not common in these waters, as it is an Atlantic species, however they have been pushed by strong currents originating in the Gibraltar strait.
A warning was first issued by the Balearic government in 2021 and that same year, they were seen near the Bol Nou beach in Sant Josep.
Since then, there have been sporadic sightings throughout the island and in Formentera.
Yesterday, despite many children taking part in water sports in the area, no one was stung.
If you see a Portuguese man o’war, it is important not to go near it.
Although they seem small, they have long tentacles that can reach up to 30 metres.
Some experts have even advised ‘closing the whole beach’ if you spot even one of these dangerous jellyfish.
In Spain, there have been no reported deaths as a result of man o’war stings, but people have died in Sicily and Sardinia.
Even beached and dead, they can continue to sting.
An Atlantic species, they are more common in the Pais Vasco and Galicia.
However, they can enter the Mediterranean through the Gibraltar Strait and Andalucia.
It is thought the current is getting stronger due to rising water temperatures.
Portuguese man o’war are a seasonal species and will be gone in around 15-30 days.
