Antonio Aparicio Alonso, a former Santander executive, died after falling into a pit inside a mill he owned in Quintana, Llanes. The accident likely happened last Tuesday, but his body went undiscovered until Thursday after relatives reported him missing. Firefighters recovered the remains.
Aparicio Alonso was highly trusted by former Santander chairman Emilio Botín, who passed away in 2014, and he played a significant role during his time with the bank. In 2002 he advanced to deputy general manager of the treasury department, later retiring early. His successor in the organization was José Antonio Álvarez, who has since risen to the role of chief executive.
Originating from Llanes, Aparicio Alonso grew up in a family with deep ties to the area. His mother, Manuela Alonsor, hailed from the local districts and communities around Llanes, including Nueva and Zardón, with connections to Cangas de Onís. One of his uncles, Antonio, ran a hardware store in Llanes.
On his father’s side, the Aparicio family traces back to Ávila, where a sister, Maria Teresa, continues to support the family business. The family notes that Aparicio Alonso’s grandfather had opened a pharmacy that was still in operation at the time of his passing.
Relatives were the first to report Aparicio Alonso’s disappearance, saying they had not heard from him since Tuesday. A friend staying with him in Llanes grew concerned when there were no signs of life. The Civil Guard launched a search operation, with investigators inspecting Quintana’s farm and the rebuilt mill where Aparicio Alonso was known to spend time.
At the time of the search, authorities found him at the mill, presenting a fatal fall into a void that had been used as a drainage channel in the rehabilitated building. Firefighters were summoned to assist in the rescue, with the Emergency Service of the Principality of Asturias (SEPA) joining the operation.
The rescue operation began on Thursday afternoon into the night. Firefighters faced a difficult task removing the body from the space, which was a tubular opening serving as a drainage conduit inside the mill. The hole was narrow and slightly inclined, complicating the retrieval process.
Crews had to lift some boards that covered the area around the corpse. It is believed that Aparicio Alonso may have stepped onto a faulty section of the mill, which gave way and led to his fall into the hollow space.
As a senior Santander executive who resided in Madrid, Aparicio Alonso also owned a farm, a house, and the Quintana mill. His funeral was held on Sunday at noon in Llanes, marking a quiet and solemn closure to a life that connected banking leadership with rural roots.