The wife of a pastor who drowned with two of their children at a Spanish resort on Christmas Eve has insisted that all three could swim. 

Gabriel Diya, 52, was a pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God in south-east London.

He and his children Comfort Diya, nine, and Praise-Emmanuel Diya, 16, drowned in the pool at the Club La Costa World resort in Fuengirola. 

In a media statement, Mrs Diya said that reports suggesting that the family members could not swim were false.

"We never informed the police or anyone that the family members could not swim," she said. 

She added: "I believe something was wrong with the pool that must have made swimming difficult for them at that point in time.

"My husband went in via the steps trying to help the two struggling [children] while I ran to the nearby apartments shouting for help to assist my husband.

"By the time assistance came, the three of them were under the water."

The resort operators have insisted that the pool was in proper working order at the time of the tragedy. 

Club La Costa World resort said in a statement: "Diligent and exhaustive police investigations into this tragedy have confirmed that the pool was working normally and there was no malfunction of any kind.

"Our sympathies remain with the family at what we understand must be a stressful and desperately upsetting time for them."

Mrs Diya said she was "utterly heartbroken" by the tragedy. 

In a Facebook post on Friday, the church described Mr Diya as a "loving husband and devoted father". 

"He was also a humble, friendly and committed pastor and Christian leader," it said.