The search was suspended as dusk fell, but emergency services were expected to resume on Thursday (representative)
Madrid, Spain:
A British hiker has been found dead and another is missing on the Spanish island of Mallorca after heavy rain lashed the popular tourist destination, emergency services said on Wednesday.
Emergency services had been searching for the two hikers since Monday evening in a mountain area on Mallorca, where the Torrent de Pareis gorge flows into the Mediterranean Sea, a police spokesman told AFP.
The search was suspended at around 1900 GMT on Wednesday as dusk fell, with emergency services saying they would resume the search on Thursday.
“The body found is that of a woman and the missing person is a man,” police said in a statement. Police added that the search for the man had been suspended due to bad weather but would resume once conditions improved.
Juan Carlos Rodriguez, head of the Mountain Rescue Group brigade in the Balearic Islands, told reporters they had rescued ten people who were hiking in the gorge and “were surprised by the storm”.
“They were the ones who told us they had seen two people swept away by the water,” he said.
“If you don't check the weather in advance and you are abroad to play sports or enjoy the sun and the beach, accidents can happen,” he added.
Local authorities had urged people to be careful due to the “very heavy storms” expected.
“Avoid outdoor activities (going to the beach, walking, water sports),” the archipelago's emergency services warned on X.
Heavy rain and strong winds were still under warning in Mallorca on Wednesday, with national weather agency Aemet warning that gusts of more than 120 kilometres per hour were possible.
The Mediterranean island, known for its picturesque beaches and sunny weather, is one of Europe's most visited destinations, especially popular with German and British tourists.
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