British Climber Dies After Falling Up to 60 Metres From Spain’s Torrecerredo

A 28-year-old British climber has died after falling between 40 and 60 metres while descending from Torrecerredo, one of the highest peaks in Spain’s Picos de Europa mountain range.

The accident happened on Thursday, September 24, in the municipality of Cabrales in Asturias. According to Spanish authorities, the climber fell on the eastern side of the mountain while descending, when he was reportedly only about 20 metres from the summit. 

Emergency services received the first alert at approximately 13:27 local time. A rescue helicopter carrying a medical team was dispatched to the area.

A doctor-rescuer reached the scene and confirmed the climber’s death at about 14:18. Rescue personnel remained with the body while arrangements were made for its recovery from the difficult mountain terrain. 

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Later, a helicopter operated by Spain’s Civil Guard arrived with specialists from the Mountain Rescue and Intervention Group, known as GREIM. Two mountain rescue specialists were lowered by winch to the accident site, where they recovered the climber’s body and belongings.

The body was subsequently transported to La Morgal before being taken to the Institute of Legal Medicine of Asturias for forensic examination. The man’s identity has not been publicly released.

UK Foreign Office in Contact With Spanish Authorities

The UK’s Foreign Office has confirmed that it is in contact with local authorities following reports of the death of a British national in Spain.

The circumstances that caused the climber to fall have not been publicly established.

Torrecerredo rises to approximately 2,650 metres and is located within the Picos de Europa, an area popular with climbers and hikers. The mountain’s upper sections include steep and exposed terrain, making the descent particularly demanding.

The tragedy comes as rescue teams in the Picos de Europa also responded to another incident on Thursday. A 54-year-old French woman suffered a serious leg injury in the Jou Sin Tierre area and was evacuated to a hospital in Arriondas. 

The death is a reminder of the risks faced by climbers in the rugged terrain of the Picos de Europa, even close to a mountain summit.