Spanish authorities are searching for a 48-year-old British man who vanished on Thursday after an argument with his wife in the northern province of Leon. Steven Michael B was last seen leaving a garage following a dispute, before discarding his personal belongings and abandoning his car.
The Civil Guard’s Greim mountain rescue unit, experienced from the Jay Slater search, has been deployed alongside drones, a helicopter and a specialist sniffer dog. The operation focuses on the banks of the Esla River and mountain areas near the village of Acebedo, where the couple were on holiday.
A police command post has been established in Las Salas, a mountain village in Cremenes, where Steven was reportedly spotted throwing away climbing equipment and documents. Authorities expressed “maximum” concern due to his uncharacteristic behaviour before his disappearance.
A spokesman for the regional emergency coordination centre confirmed the ongoing search, stating: “The search today is focusing on the banks of the Esla River and the area around the village of Las Salas, where the missing man's vehicle was found parked on Thursday.” Environmental agents from the Castilla y Leon Regional Government have also joined the effort.
Spain’s National Missing Persons Centre described Steven as 1.6 metres tall, weighing 65 kilos, with blue eyes and bald, last seen wearing orange mountain trousers, a red top and dark blue-black boots. His date of birth is August 24, 1975, but his exact UK origin remains unclear.
