The Guardia Civil, mountain-rescue team (GREIM) had to carry out two rescue missions yesterday; one in Otívar and the other in Sierra Nevada.
The first mission that required their rescue helicopter was in the Junta de Los Ríos within the municipality of Otívar, which took place around midday and involved a woman who had had a fall.
The emergency coordination centre, 112, received a call at 12.56h to say that a 42-year-old woman had damaged her shoulder and was unable to make her own way out the canyon, so the helicopter was sent out. One of the team was winched down from the hovering helicopter over this narrow gorge to the victim and then fly her to the Hospital del Parque Tecnológico de La Salud (PTS).
The next rescue mission, just four hours later, was in the Barranco de Poquiera in the Sierra Nevada after a man fell some distance in a vertical drop.
The centre received a call at 17.09h. This time the victim was a 33-year-old man who, as a result of the fall, had fractured his ankle (lucky man, given the fall). The exactly location was where Río Poqueira joins Río Trevélez, again with very difficult access, requiring the use of the helicopter again.
The barranco at this point is very narrow and there was also the concern of the rotor wash loosening rocks on the sides of the barranco. Hovering whilst one of the team was lowered was also very difficult because of the air currents.
The man’s ankle was immobilised with a splint and he was winched up to the chopper and flown to the PTS hospital, as well.
This dedicated team spend the winter months plucking people out of the snow, suffering from hyperthermia up in the Sierra Nevada, and in the summer, rescuing excursionists abseiling down waterfalls. It is unending.
(News: Otívar, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)
Keywords: Rescue Mission, GREIM, Mountain Rescue, Helicopter, Winch, Injuries Immobilised, PTS Hospital. Barranco de Poquiera, Junta de Los Rios
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