In a week when Infoca tackled a mountain fire behind Dúrcal with aerial assets, the Guardia Civil have had need for their helicopter to carry out rescue missions.
On Thursday they were called out to rescue a climber in the Río Valdecasillas area of Güéjar Sierra. A 28-year-old man had injured his leg and couldn’t walk so the helicopter was despatched with members of the mountain-rescue service onboard to locate, pick him up and fly him to hospital.
Previously, on the 15th, the big public holiday across Spain, they were called out twice. On the first occasion a women hiker had suffered an injury in the Prado Negro waterfalls in Huétor Santillán; she was winched out and flown to the nearest hospital.
Shortly before a barranquista (somebody who descends waterfalls) had dislocated his shoulder whilst abseiling down the Junta de Los Ríos in Otívar, which has been a location often entered in call-out logbooks.
The mountain rescue service, Sereim, advises hikers to take the same precautions as they would if they had a child with them: consult a weather forecast; if it is adverse, don’t go. Use adequate footwear and clothing and make sure you have at least some food with you and above all, water. Make sure you take a fully charged mobile phone with you; if you’re in a group, the more phones the better.
(News/Noticias: Granada, Andalucia)
It’s hardly thoughtless if you actually injure yourself, is it? Bad luck maybe. Going hiking in the winter in trainers and a hoodie, no water or mobile; that is thoughtless and deadly. Besides, it gives the helicopter chaps more experience to rescue those that need help.
My hiking friends and I get our hiking insurance through Austrian Alpine Club UK This is the website address https://www.alpenverein.at/britannia/
I’ve taken the undermentioned information from their website.
Annual membership begins on the 1st January of the membership year and runs until 31st December.
2. Your membership fee depends on the age that you will be on the last day of the membership year for which you are paying.
STARTING 1 SEPTEMBER 2023
JOIN FOR 2024
AND GET THE REST OF 2023
If you join between 1 September and the 31 December 2023 your subscription will cover the remainder of 2023 AND all of 2024.
Malcolm: I believe you can get passed the bill if it is a case of clear imprudence (marching up the Sierra Nevada in flip flops, etc). One helicopter hour was over 600 euros, probably more by now. As for insurance coverage, I found this online. It’s in Spanish but you can put it through a translator:
https://blog.genesis.es/seguros-para-deportes-de-riesgo-que-cubren/
Are these rescues charged for? I was once told that you can take out an insurance policy for hikers but haven’t been able to find out which company provides this cover. Accidents walking in the mountains can so easily happen.