"Two people died after falling into the sea at Muros del Nalon and Cudillero," the emergency services from the northwestern region of Asturias said in a statement.

Spain's meteorological agency, Aemet, issued an orange warning for dangerous rough seas on Thursday, citing waves of six to seven metres.

Aemet also warned that Storm Nelson, currently over Britain, would bring turbulent weather to the Iberian Peninsula until the end of March.

Firefighters used a helicopter to recover "the lifeless body of a man from the San Esteban embankment in Muros del Nalon" after being alerted at 1pm that a person had fallen into the sea.

Two minutes earlier, the emergency services had also been contacted about a woman who had fallen into the water from Cudillero port, her body "banging against the rocks".

The unconscious woman was rescued by boat but died despite rescuers' attempts for over an hour to revive her.