Around 15 volunteers have joined forces in Benidorm to remove rubbish from the seabed, as the Costa Blanca resort steps up efforts to protect its marine environment.

The two-day initiative, organised by Benidorm City Council’s Environment Department, focused on underwater areas around Rincón de Loix and the town’s port, with local nautical and diving organisations lending their support.

The campaign aimed to remove waste from the bay and help preserve the coastal waters that attract residents, tourists and marine wildlife throughout the year.

Volunteers target underwater rubbish

The first clean-up took place on Saturday, October 18, when volunteers headed into the waters around Rincón de Loix and the port to collect rubbish from the seabed.

A second session was scheduled for Sunday, October 19, concentrating on the waters surrounding the port to continue the work.

Around 15 volunteers took part in the initiative, helping to tackle underwater waste in areas that are difficult to access without specialist diving equipment.

Removing rubbish from the seabed is an important part of protecting marine ecosystems. Discarded items can pose a danger to marine animals, while waste accumulating underwater can damage habitats and affect the condition of coastal waters.

The clean-up also highlighted the contribution that local volunteers and specialist organisations can make to environmental protection through practical action.

Local organisations join forces

Several organisations collaborated with the council to deliver the campaign, including the Club Náutico, Benidorm Marine, Benidorm Diving Sones dive centre and the Buceo por el Medio Ambiente association.

Their involvement brought together members of the local nautical and diving community, whose knowledge of the sea and underwater environments can help support conservation efforts.

The initiative forms part of the town’s wider commitment to looking after its marine surroundings, with the Mediterranean coastline playing a central role in Benidorm’s appeal as a holiday destination.

The resort is well known for its beaches and watersports, making the condition of its coastal waters important for both the local environment and the tourism industry.

Protecting the Costa Blanca coastline

Marine litter remains a challenge for coastal communities, with rubbish entering the sea from a variety of sources and potentially remaining underwater long after it has been discarded.

Organised seabed clean-ups offer a practical way to remove some of this waste while bringing attention to the importance of preventing litter from reaching the water in the first place.

By working alongside local diving groups and nautical organisations, Benidorm City Council has encouraged community participation in protecting the bay.

The weekend operation focused on clearing underwater rubbish, helping to safeguard the Mediterranean environment for marine life and the people who live in and visit the Costa Blanca resort.

Benidorm charity gala raises funds for abandoned pets through live entertainment.
Photo Credit: Benidorm Palace

An unusual aerial operation has seen a helicopter lift ageing electricity infrastructure from the landscape between Dénia and Jávea, with work now set to continue in another Marina Alta town.

Helicopter lifts old electricity towers

The operation took place on Friday, October 16, in the Les Planes area, close to the Montgó Natural Park and the road linking Dénia with Jávea.

Workers from FCC, the company involved in the removal work, dismantled and prepared the redundant high-voltage electricity towers before a helicopter lifted the metal structures using a steel cable.

The helicopter transported the heavy equipment through the air to a temporary collection point around 100 metres from the operating base, allowing the dismantled infrastructure to be gathered for removal.

The operation was based at an open area beside the former Vicente Ferrer school in Les Rotes, near the junction towards Jávea. The site provided space for the aircraft to land and for ground crews to coordinate the work.

The unusual sight of a helicopter carrying metal structures near Montgó attracted attention, but the aircraft was being used to remove obsolete electrical infrastructure rather than carry out a rescue.

Why old power lines are being removed

The work forms part of efforts to remove disused overhead electricity lines from natural areas in the Marina Alta.

Redundant cables and supporting structures can pose a serious threat to wildlife, particularly birds, which risk colliding with power lines while flying through the landscape.

Removing these installations helps reduce hazards in sensitive natural environments, including areas around the Montgó, where protecting local biodiversity is important.

Using a helicopter allows large structures to be transported from difficult terrain without relying entirely on conventional ground transport. The aircraft can lift dismantled sections and carry them to a designated collection area, while workers handle the preparation on the ground.

Work will continue in Pedreguer

Once the structures had been transported away from the Les Planes section, the crews completed this stage of the operation.

The next phase is scheduled to take place in Pedreguer, where the removal of outdated electricity infrastructure will continue.

The work highlights the practical challenges involved in clearing redundant installations from the Marina Alta’s landscape, particularly in areas close to protected natural spaces.

While the helicopter operation was the most visible part of the project, it depended on the coordinated work of ground crews to dismantle the towers safely and prepare them for lifting.

The removal programme is part of the wider, gradual effort to eliminate obsolete overhead electrical infrastructure from the region’s natural surroundings.