(VIDEO) Giant Wave Swallows Spanish TV Reporter Live on Air as Storm Austen Pounds Basque Coast

MADRID — A Spanish television reporter was knocked off his feet by a large wave during a live broadcast from the Basque coast. Moments earlier he had been warning viewers about dangerous seas. Video of the incident spread widely online Friday.

Sergio Ovejero, a reporter for the Basque public broadcaster's Spanish-language channel ETB2, was reporting live from the seafront in Ondarroa, a fishing town in the province of Bizkaia, for the program "Euskadi Quédate." He was describing worsening conditions when a wave broke over the sea wall behind him and engulfed him and his crew.

The footage shows water crashing over the breakwater and onto the promenade where Ovejero was standing. The camera jolts violently, and the live feed cuts out. The last image shows the ground covered in sea foam.

Back in the studio, the presenter tried to reassure viewers.

"Let's hope that our colleagues Sergio and Raquel are all right," the presenter said in Spanish, promising to update viewers shortly.

There were no reports of injuries to Ovejero or the technical crew working with him. EITB, the Basque broadcaster, had not publicly commented on the incident.

Video goes viral

The clip spread quickly across Spanish social media after the broadcast and was picked up by international accounts. A post on X by Breaking911 on Friday morning described the reporter warning viewers of rough seas just before the wave hit. It drew tens of thousands of views within an hour.

Spanish television commentator Sebas Maspons shared the clip, writing in Spanish, "What just happened on #EuskadiQuedate," and "What a scare #Live."

The video drew mixed reactions. Some viewers expressed relief that the crew appeared unharmed. Others criticized the decision to broadcast so close to the water while urging the public to stay away from the coast. Several users called on broadcasters not to put their staff at risk for dramatic storm footage.

Storm Austen hits northern Spain

The incident came as Storm Austen moved toward northern Spain, bringing strong winds and heavy swell to the Bay of Biscay. The storm was named by Britain's Met Office because of its expected impact on the British Isles and northern Europe.

Spain's national weather agency, AEMET, issued orange warnings, its second-highest level, for coastal hazards on Friday along much of the northern coast. The warnings stretch from Pontevedra in Galicia through Asturias and Cantabria to the Basque province of Gipuzkoa.

AEMET spokesman Rubén del Campo warned of very strong winds along the Cantabrian coast and waves that could exceed 7 meters (23 feet). He described the danger as very significant and urged people in coastal areas to be very cautious.

The agency forecast waves of 5 to 7 meters (16 to 23 feet) in the Cantabrian Sea, with some isolated waves of 10 meters (33 feet) or more. It said west winds could reach 62 to 74 kph (39 to 46 mph), with gusts near 100 kph (62 mph) at the most exposed headlands.

The Basque regional government activated an orange alert for navigation from noon to 9 p.m. Friday. It also issued a yellow warning for waves hitting seafront promenades and breakwaters, the kind of spot where Ovejero was standing. The Basque weather service, Euskalmet, said waves could exceed 5 meters (16 feet) during that period.

Rough conditions were expected to continue into the weekend. Yellow coastal warnings remain in place Saturday for Cantabria, Gipuzkoa, Bizkaia and Girona in Catalonia.

A familiar danger

Ondarroa sits at the mouth of the Artibai River on the Bay of Biscay. Its harbor is protected by sea walls that often take a beating during autumn and winter storms. Promenades and breakwaters along the Basque coast are popular spots for residents and photographers to watch big waves, and authorities regularly warn people to stay back during storms.

Waves that top sea walls can be especially dangerous because they often arrive without warning. A series of smaller waves may break harmlessly before a larger set crashes over the barrier, as appeared to happen in Ondarroa. Emergency officials in northern Spain have long warned that people standing on breakwaters can be swept into the water or slammed against walls and railings.

Reporters around the world have been caught by surging water while covering storms. Broadcasters often send crews to coastal areas to show conditions viewers are being told to avoid, a practice that draws criticism each storm season.

Stay away from the coast

Authorities in the Basque Country and across northern Spain urged residents to avoid seafront promenades, piers and breakwaters while the warnings are in effect. They also told people not to approach the water to take photos or video.

Mariners were warned of dangerous conditions for small boats, and fishing fleets along the Cantabrian coast were expected to stay in port during the worst of the storm on Friday.

For Ovejero, the moment turned a routine weather report into one of the most-watched clips of the week. It also illustrated the danger he was warning viewers about.