A British couple was rescued from a ravine near Bedar after being found semi-conscious with severe burns covering 40% of their bodies during the devastating Almeria wildfire in Spain, according to police. Spanish Civil Guard Sergeant Pedro Barre told TVE that the two were semi-conscious and severely burned, believed to have been hiking when the fires escalated.
Rescue Operation and Critical Condition
Rescue teams discovered them near Bedar, one of the areas most impacted by the fires. Sgt Barre explained that he and two others heard a noise while searching for survivors. After descending a hillside, they located the couple in critical condition with serious burns covering 40% of their bodies. The couple are currently in intensive care. Rafael Zea, another officer involved in the operation, told the broadcaster: "Being able to call out in the condition they were in was a titanic effort." Barre added: "We'll never forget that look of surprise and emotion on their faces."
Casualties and Missing Persons
Spanish authorities have yet to identify the 12 individuals known to have perished in the fire, four of whom are suspected to be British. Another 23 are reported missing. Over 150 firefighters and 220 Spanish military soldiers fought the fire, with more than 1,400 evacuated from the mountains as the blaze spread on Thursday. Police have cordoned off access to mountain villages, with residents hoping to return soon to assess damage to their homes.
Identification Challenges
Police experts are still attempting to identify the 12 individuals who perished in the catastrophic Almeria wildfire, as post-mortem examinations on severely charred remains failed to establish even their sex. Unidentified biological samples from the victims were transported by police helicopter to Madrid for analysis at a specialist Civil Guard laboratory. Authorities have thus far refused to address claims that three children were amongst the casualties.
Vehicle and Witness Accounts
Disturbing images have surfaced of a destroyed vehicle in which four British citizens are thought to have lost their lives after becoming trapped by flames while attempting to flee the region. The scorched remains of a right-hand drive Honda Accord formed part of a convoy of six vehicles and one motorbike abandoned on a dirt track near Bedar where the mass fatalities occurred. Five vehicles had been reduced to skeletal remains, and just two cars remained intact, though their paintwork bore damage from extreme fire temperatures. One blackened frame faced the opposite direction, suggesting the panicked driver had attempted to reverse and escape after driving into a wall of fire. A witness who reached the site remarked: "It looks like the devil has passed through here."
Foreign Victims and Ongoing Efforts
Regional government officials have indicated they anticipate 11 of the 12 confirmed dead will be identified as foreigners, "probably British and Belgians." Four individuals with severe burns were transported by air ambulance to a Seville hospital, though their ages and nationalities remain undisclosed.
