British climber, 28, dies in 200ft fall descending Spain's Torrecerredo peak
A 28-year-old British climber has died after falling about 200ft on the descent from Torrecerredo, the highest peak of the Cantabrian Mountains, Spanish authorities say.
A 28-year-old British climber has died after falling around 200ft while descending Torrecerredo, the highest peak of the Cantabrian Mountains and the Picos de Europa in northern Spain, Spanish authorities have said.
He fell down a vertical gully on the mountain’s east side, roughly 20 metres (65ft) below the summit, the Civil Guard for Asturias reported. Spanish emergency services received a report of the fall at about 2:20pm on Thursday; the initial alert said a person had fallen 40 to 60 metres and may have died.
A mountain rescue team aboard a Civil Guard helicopter located the man’s remains after flying over the area; two specialists were lowered to retrieve the body and belongings scattered in the fall.
The body was taken to La Morgal, in Llanera near Gijon, with the Institute of Legal Medicine in Asturias due to carry out a forensic examination. His identity has not been released, and it is unconfirmed whether he was climbing alone.
A UK Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are in contact with the local authorities following reports of the death of a British national in Spain.”
Torrecerredo, at about 2,649 metres (8,690ft), is the highest summit of the Cantabrian Mountains; regional tourism authorities describe the route as “very difficult”. In a separate incident on the same afternoon in the same range, a 54-year-old French woman was taken to hospital with a leg injury in the Jou Sin Tierre area, according to the Sepa Asturias emergency service.
Sources
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