Mountain rescue team´s risky mission

Mountain rescue teams across Spain are risking their lives more and more in order to save members of the public, with record numbers of call outs recorded so far this year.

The Guardia Civil Mountain Rescue and Intervention Team (GREIM) in Aragón has been one of the busiest across the country and last weekend the highly trained officers found themselves once again endangering their own lives in a risky operation to save that of another.

A 29-year-old Frenchman found himself in difficulties one hundred metres above ground level whilst on a climbing expedition in the Mallos de Riglos area of Huesca. GREIM and the Huesca Air Unit were called to the scene at around 12:00 on Saturday, October 19, when the man hurt his ankle on a rock and was unable to continue climbing.

The incident resulted in a considerably risky rescue mission

Mount Irene, where the incident took place, boasts an impressively sheer drop, and the location of the climber was extremely difficult for the rescuers to access. In order to reach the altitude where the man was stuck, a helicopter was deployed, and the operator was able to hover the helicopter close enough to the rock face for a specially trained member of the rescue team to lower himself to the same level as the climber in order to progress with bringing the man to safety. A harness (which was attached to the helicopter above), was fitted around the victim, who was then hauled up into the aircraft for safe transportation back to the ground below. He was consequently transferred to a local hospital.

The rescue, which was filmed and shared on the Guardia Civil´s account on social media site X, received mixed comments from viewers, with many praising the Mountain Rescue Team for their bravery, whilst others criticised the young Frenchman for climbing alone and putting not only his own life but also the lives of the rescuers at risk.

Mountain rescue services are receiving more calls than ever before

The mountain rescue services across Spain and the surrounding islands have received record numbers of calls so far this year. In the province of Aragón alone two hundred rescue operations took place within the first six months of 2024, a rise of 9 percent when compared to the same six months in 2023 [El Herald, 04/07/2024 and Arturo Pola, El Periódico de Aragón, 23/06/2024]. The province has had a tragic year so far with regard to climbing incidents, with 24 people losing their lives whilst tackling mountains in Aragón. This is the highest number across Spain and represents a significant increase on previous years, with a rise of 15 percent more than in 2023, according to reports from GREIM [Suren Gasparyan, El Plural, 02/09/2024].

Mountain rescue teams across Spain recommend that when heading to the mountains, hikers and climbers always thoroughly research the route they plan to take, consult predicted weather conditions and ensure they are wearing and carrying the appropriate kit.