Cantabria emergency teams rescue cow from cliff with airlift after assessing safety and daylight delay
Emergency services in Cantabria reported a dramatic rescue operation involving a cow that fell from a coastal cliff near the town of Ruiloba. The incident highlighted the challenges faced by rescue crews when land access is impossible and space is extremely tight. The animal ended up lodged between rocks in a difficult-to-reach area, prompting a coordinated response from the regional fire department and the 112 Emergency Service to determine the safest course of action for both the animal and the people involved.
According to the Cantabrian Government’s 112 Emergency Service, firefighters were mobilized after the cow slipped over the edge. In conversations with Efe, officials explained that the rescue could not proceed with the animal’s immediate removal while daylight was insufficient. The teams prioritized the safety of the animal and its owner, and the plan shifted to a lighting window that would allow a more controlled operation.
Communication from the rescue teams underscored the complexity of the scene. Photographs and statements from official accounts indicated that a helicopter, operated in collaboration with firefighters, was prepared to reach the cow. The aim was to move the animal to a safer area using aviation support as a last resort if ground access remained blocked by rocks and terrain. The operation was described as a careful balance between the risks of attempting a rescue and the dangers of leaving the animal in the precarious location.
On the night of the incident, the teams received the call and deployed personnel to assess the scenario. The plan was to wait for daylight to enhance visibility and safety, given the rugged coastline and the narrow space where the cow lay. The authorities underscored that the rescue would focus on a humane outcome, avoiding any unnecessary harm to the animal while keeping rescuers out of harm’s way. This approach aligns with standard procedures where the welfare of large livestock is weighed against the potential risk to responders during extraction from hazardous sites.
In the following morning, the emergency units returned to the site to re-evaluate the area and determine the technical requirements for lifting the roughly 600-pound animal. The assessment considered the stability of the rocks, the potential for resettlement of the cow, and the safest rigging configurations for airlift operations. The goal was to create a moment where the animal could be moved without causing further injuries or triggering a collapse of nearby rock formations.
Given the constrained geography and the animal’s position, the authorities concluded that airlifting remained the most viable option to reach a safe area. The operation involved securing the cow within a net attached to a helicopter, then transporting it to a location where it could be immobilized and monitored for any injuries. The responders described this sequence as a careful, stepwise process designed to minimize stress on the animal while preserving the safety of the crew.
Throughout the operation, the decision was framed around two possibilities. One option was to extract the animal quickly, potentially exposing responders to significant risk. The alternative was to euthanize the cow if its condition posed a greater public health hazard due to decomposition or sequestration within the rock crevices. In keeping with humane practice and public safety priorities, the rescue teams pursued the approach that favored life and minimized risk, opting to attempt salvage once daylight conditions allowed a controlled and humane process. [Citation: Cantabria 112 Emergency Service and fire department records]