The Guardia Civil rescued a man in his 80s who had become lost in the hills between Pampaneira and Bubión in the Alpujarra Granadina.

The man was part of a group of Irish, senior citizens who were on a walk on the 27th. The said walk was to take them from Bubión to Pampaneira and back. The group reached Pampaneira around 15.00h and decided to rest. One of their number, however, decided to carry on directly.

It was at 19.50h that the group contacted the Guardia Civil because they had arrived back at their hotel at 17.00h but the ‘loner’ had still not arrived and they were worried that something had happened to him.

So, the Guardia Civil sent a patrol based in Trevélez to Bubión where the officers interviewed the other octogenarians. It turns out that the missing companion, before losing phone coverage, had told them that he was lost in the middle of nowhere. He also said that he could see a village in the distance that could be Pampaneira and that he could hear water running nearby.

The officers began their search at the lower end of Pampaneira, from the power station, heading for Bubión. On the way they were later joined by other officers who had been sent from Órgiva.

During this time they kept trying to raise him by telephone in case he had reached an area with coverage. Finally, at 21.30h, they established phone contact with him and thanks to the his description of where he found himself, they were able to find him.

He was in good health although tired and a little dehydrated. They gave him water and asked if he wanted to be seen by a doctor and he replied that he didn’t – he just wanted to get back to his hotel, have a shower and get some sleep.

When they drove up to the hotel with the lost man, the officers were met with applause.

Viva La Benemerita!