British hiker dead and man missing after extreme weather hits Spanish island

The 26-year-old British woman was found after people were trapped by flash floods

A view of a flooded beach in Soller, Mallorca island, Balearics, Spain, 15 August 2024 (EPA)

A British woman has been found dead and a man is still missing in Mallorca after the pair were swept away in a flash flood.

Emergency services are searching for a 32-year-old UK man after both were apparently swept away in a flash flood while hiking on the Mediterranean island, Spanish police said.

Spain’s Civil Guard said that both people were on a trail, the Torrent de Pareis, that leads through a small canyon to the sea when the storm hit on Tuesday.

The Diario de Mallorca today reported that the rescuers plan to go back up the Torrent de Pareis and inspect the pools in search of the man after the search was delayed due to extreme weather.

A police statement initially said they had found the corpse of the man and were searching for the 26-year-old woman. They later corrected themselves and said it was the woman who had been found dead.

The 26-year-old British woman was found after people were trapped by flash floods near the Torrent de Pareis, a river in the Tramuntana mountain range on Majorca’s coast.

The body was found on Wednesday while the search continues for the man, police said.

The force said: “The Civil Guard yesterday rescued 10 people who were trapped in the Torrent de Pareis by a torrent of water.

“Our Greim unit established an operation throughout the day there to prevent possible accidents involving hikers who were in the area given the forecast of heavy rain.

“Given the experiences of previous years, when many visitors ignore weather conditions and end up getting trapped by high water, the decision was taken to establish precautionary measures.

“Thanks to this operation, and with the help of a Civil Guard helicopter, officers were able to save the lives of 10 people who were trapped, without protective clothing, and completely soaked. They were transferred to safety using guides to assist them.

“Once they reached a safe spot the rescued walkers, two Spaniards and the rest French, German and British, told us two members of a group of five who were among those assisted had been swept away by a torrent of water and they had been unable to do anything to save them and didn’t know where they were.

“A separate search and rescue operation was mobilised until nightfall which began again today with assistance from firefighters.”

More inclement weather was forecast for the island and parts of Spain’s mainland.

The Balearic Islands and a large area of Spain’s eastern coast was under alert for strong winds and heavy rains.

More thunderstorms over Barcelona forced the organisers 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.