Else Beekman
A 23-year-old hiker from León, Spain, has been rescued after spending four harrowing days lost in the Picos de Europa. The young man was found alive by emergency services on Friday. He was then airlifted to the Central University Hospital of Asturias (HUCA) for treatment.
He sustained a traumatic brain injury and multiple fractures but was in a stable condition at the time of evacuation.
Discovery in remote terrain
The search team, part of the Emergency Services of the Principality of Asturias (SEPA), located the hiker between Refugio del Urriellu and Horcada de Caín in the Eastern Massif of the Picos de Europa. Rescuers were alerted to his presence when they heard cries for help coming from the Jou de los Boches area in Cabrales. Redirecting their search efforts, the team coordinated with a medical helicopter also involved in the operation.
From the air, the team spotted the hiker, who had managed to remain standing to increase his visibility. After descending to his location, they confirmed his identity and stabilised him before airlifting him to the hospital. The rescue operation concluded around 3.30 pm on Friday.
A race against time
The hiker’s family had raised the alarm on Wednesday, 25 December, after losing contact with him two days earlier. He had been undertaking a challenging route between Bejes (Cantabria) and Covadonga (Asturias), with his last known communication occurring at the Casetón de Ándara refuge in Cantabria. His planned descent towards Sotres, Cabrales, marked the point where the rescue command centre was set up to coordinate efforts.
Given the vastness of the search area, the teams, both ground and aerial teams from Asturias and Cantabria, divided their efforts across different zones, utilising advanced drone technology equipped with LifeSeeker—a system capable of detecting active mobile phones. They focused their search on the Pandébano-Bulnes area.
Furthermore, specialist mountain rescue teams from the Guardia Civil (GREIM) conducted intensive searches in high-altitude zones, including Collado Vallejo, Urriellu, and Cabaña Verónica. Helicopters from SEPA, Cantabria, and the Guardia Civil took turns to survey the rugged landscape from above.
Various rescue operations
Every year rescue teams are saving the lives of mountaineers taking too much risk in their adventures. Late on Sunday, the Guardia Civil successfully rescued six hikers after they became stranded on steep terrain near Pico Cervera in Belmonte de Miranda, Asturias. The group had veered off their intended path during their ascent and found themselves trapped as darkness fell. The Asturias emergency services (112-Asturias) received the distress call at approximately 6.00 pm and promptly deployed three rescue firefighters from the Emergency Services of the Principality of Asturias (SEPA). Simultaneously, the Guardia Civil’s mountain rescue team (GREIM), based in Mieres, was mobilised to join the search effort. Despite difficult conditions, the Guardia Civil specialists located the hikers around 11.00 pm. The group was found unharmed and was safely escorted back to Belmonte de Miranda.
Earlier in September, two Belgian climbers—a 27-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man—were rescued near the Canal de Vidrio in the same National Park. They had become disoriented in a hazardous area with steep vertical drops. The Government of Cantabria’s helicopter team successfully evacuated them to safety.
A few days before Christmas a man fell at the Xiblu waterfall in Teverga. SEPA’s rescue helicopter team evacuated him to the hospital. The man sustained a traumatic brain injury and a sprain to his left ankle. His rescue operation involved both ground and air teams, ensuring a swift response to the accident.
As mountain tourism continues to attract adventurers, this incident serves as a vital reminder of the importance of preparation, communication, and respect for the unpredictable forces of nature.
Also read: Founder of Mango died in Catalonia mountain accident