British woman found dead, man missing after flash flood hits Spanish island of Mallorca
A British woman has been found dead while emergency services search for a man of the same nationality after both were apparently swept away in a flash flood while hiking on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca, Spanish police said Wednesday.
Spain's Civil Guard said both people were taking a trail that leads through a small canyon to the sea when the storm hit on Tuesday.
The police initially issued the erroneous information that they had found the corpse of the man and were searching for the woman. They later corrected themselves and said it was the woman who had been found dead on Wednesday.
Firefighters collaborated with police in the search.
Spain's Civil Guard rescued 10 other hikers who were trapped by flash floods in the Tramontana mountains, police said. In video released by the Civil Guard, a body camera showed the search and rescue team locating a group of soaked hikers stuck on a ledge and escorting them into a helicopter, Reuters reported.
More inclement weather was forecast for the island and parts of Spain's mainland. The Balearic Islands and a large swath of Spain's eastern coast was under alert for strong winds and heavy rains.
More thunderstorms over Barcelona forced the organizers of the America's Cup sailing event to postpone racing. That decision came after lightning struck near a yacht on Tuesday, forcing a race to be abandoned.
Local authorities had called Tuesday for people to be careful due to the "very intense storms" that were expected.
"Avoid outdoor activities (going to the beach, hiking, water sports)," the archipelago's emergency services warned on social media.
Mallorca remained on alert Wednesday for heavy rains and strong winds, with the national weather office Aemet warning that gusts of over 75 miles per hour were possible.
The Mediterranean island, known for its picturesque beaches and sunny weather, is one of Europe's most visited destinations. It is especially popular with German and British tourists.
In June, Spanish authorities said a British hiker was found dead after going missing in the Pyrenees, in the northeast of the country, the BBC reported. The 70-year-old man's body was discovered after his disappearance sparked a search-and-rescue operation.
