It was was only last Spring that an experienced climber of Anglo-Spanish nationality lost his life in an avalanche in the Sierra Nevada. Now, with the last snowfalls of the season, another avalanche struck in the Los Tajos de la Virgen area, but this time, fortunately, without claiming any lives, although one man was injured.

The 35-year-old man was one of seven people in the area that was caught out by the avalanche, who were trekking across the laguna de las Yeguas, where Los Tajos can be found. Luckily the group all had ample experience in this kind of environment and were very soon able to located the victim, who was semi-buried.

Also, luck would have it that the mountain-rescue group belonging to the Guardia Civil (Sereim) were carrying out training in the area, teaching new members about how to operate in avalanche situations, so they had a probably the most life-like training experience possible – a real avalanche. They were almost immediately on the spot and supplied first aid to the injured man, who had received back injuries after being dashed against a rock by the force of the wall of tumbling snow. He was flown out by helicopter to the main hospital in the city of Granada.

In this same area, a Spanish fireman was killed in 2008, as well as a British military serviceman in 1992. The avalanche that claimed most victims was in 1989 when four Frenchmen were killed.

(News: Sierra Nevada, Granada, Andalucia)