A 93-year-old British woman has become the 13th person to die in the devastating wildfires sweeping southern Spain, officials confirmed on Sunday. The woman, who suffered burns to around 20% of her body, was rushed to hospital on Friday and died later that afternoon, the Andalusian government said.
The fires, which have torn through 17,300 acres near Los Gallardos in Almería since Friday, have left at least 23 people missing and the death toll feared to rise. Four bodies were discovered in a burnt-out vehicle with its steering wheel on the right-hand side, believed to be British. Most of the victims are Belgian or British, along with one Spaniard, according to authorities.
“A 93-year-old British woman becomes the 13th fatality in Spanish wildfires, while a missing British couple is found alive in a ravine.”
But amid the tragedy, rescue teams found a British couple alive but critically injured in a rugged ravine in Bedar, where they had become trapped while hiking. The pair, suffering burns to 40% of their bodies, were semi-conscious when Civil Guard officers discovered them after hearing faint cries for help.
Sergeant Pedro Barre told broadcaster TVE: “As you gain more experience, something inside you tells you, ‘Look again, try one more time.’” He said they nearly mistook the cries for an echo. “We’ll never forget that look of surprise and emotion on their faces,” he added.
Fellow rescuer Rafael Zea described the effort needed for the couple to call out as a “Titanic effort” given their injuries. Both are now in a serious but stable condition in hospital.
A British man trying to escape with his cats is believed to have died while phoning his wife as flames surrounded his car. Penelope Howe, from Wolverhampton, told The Times: “He had got the cats and was trapped in the car. They were speaking together for the last few minutes. That was how it ended.”
The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has issued a travel alert for the area, urging those affected to contact consular assistance. DNA tests are ongoing to formally identify the victims, with families reported missing loved ones.
