A climber who went missing for four days has been found alive after surviving by taking shelter between rocks, in what rescuers described as a search akin to “looking for a grain of sand in the desert.”
Senen Turienzo, 23, had set out on a trek through Spain’s Picos de Europa mountain range and was due to complete his journey on Christmas Day.
When he failed to return home as planned, his brother Andres contacted emergency services to report him missing.
READ MORE: Hero Dad Guides Daughter to Safety Before Tragically Drowning in Reservoir
Turienzo had been navigating the snowy terrain of the 12-mile range, with plans to travel from Bejes to Covadonga.
Rescue teams began searching on Christmas Day, but as the challenging conditions hampered progress, additional personnel were deployed on December 27.
The breakthrough came when searchers heard a man’s voice calling for help.
Turienzo was located in the Jou de los Boches area within the Eastern Massif, a site known for its avalanche risks.
He had suffered a serious fall, leaving him with head injuries, multiple fractures in his upper limbs, and other contusions, according to local reports.
Enrique Gonzalez, a park ranger who had seen Turienzo on December 21, noted that the climber was not equipped with appropriate gear for such a demanding expedition.
Despite the odds, Turienzo endured his ordeal by huddling between rocks for warmth, with rescuers crediting his determination to survive.
“He was saved by the will to live that a 23-year-old boy has,” said Javier Odriozola, a member of the helicopter rescue team.
Odriozola shared the news of Turienzo’s rescue with the climber’s anxious parents, who had been waiting at the search operation’s command post.
“Picos is vast—beyond what most people can comprehend,” Odriozola added. “Finding him was like searching for a grain of sand in the desert.”
Turienzo was airlifted to the Central University Hospital of Asturias in Oviedo, where he is receiving medical care.
While his family expressed gratitude to everyone involved in the search and rescue effort, the regional government of Asturias is reportedly preparing a report on the incident, which may result in the climber being billed for the rescue operation.
READ MORE: Dad and Kids Survive 12ft Manhole Fall
SOURCE: Climber, 23, survives by sleeping between rocks on mountainside after going missing for FOUR days
