Two people lost their lives after a serious incident that happened around 2:30 p.m. this Friday in the Bolulla valley, a small inland town in the Alicante region of Spain. The tragedy unfolded within the lower part of the valley near the last waterfall, where a guide, aged 43, and a 31-year-old woman were swept away by the river’s current during a photo shoot for an advertisement. The man, a well-known local businessman with extensive experience guiding multi-adventure activities, was unable to escape the forceful cascade. The woman, who clung to a rope thrown from the shore, was pulled under by the whirlpool and did not survive.
The Alicante Provincial Fire Consortium’s Special Rescue Group arrived promptly. The Alpha 01 helicopter and on-site crews recovered two individuals from the water who showed clear signs of drowning. Medical teams performed resuscitation on the guide, but he succumbed to his injuries. The woman, who had been struggling to breathe, received rapid care on site and was transported for advanced life support. Despite the efforts of emergency teams, she did not regain vital signs.
The remaining four members of the party were unharmed physically, though they faced intense emotional distress from the ordeal.
The response involved firefighters from Benidorm, park emergency medical services, the Bolulla Civil Guard, and local police officers, all collaborating to manage the incident and secure the area.
On the previous Sunday, a 42-year-old seasoned canyoner from Alicante narrowly escaped death while navigating a narrow section of the Bolulla valley. While lowering himself to monitor the water flow, he slipped and fell into a pool, losing contact with the riverbank. The force of the water carried him downstream for about 150 meters, stripping away his protective helmet in the process. He happened to be in a cave area upstream, which helped him avoid a direct fatal plunge. Firefighters from GER and the Alpha 01 helicopter crew transported him to safety near San Vicent del Raspeig.
Earlier this week, a warning was issued by the Alicante Provincial Firefighters Consortium about the high dangers of canyoning during recent conditions. Continued heavy rains have swelled the rivers, especially in the northern part of the province, dramatically increasing water flow and elevating the risk of accidents for even experienced participants.
Experts and fans of extreme terrain are urged to refrain from risky routes until river levels drop and conditions stabilize. The likelihood of an incident remains elevated while rainfall and runoff persist in the region.
This week, a team of twenty from the Alicante Provincial Firefighters Consortium Special Rescue Group conducted on-site assessments in the Bolulla valley. Led by an experienced supervisor, the unit carried out continuous operations over several days, practicing techniques that mimic real rescue scenarios. The aim was to maintain readiness while navigating a demanding mountain landscape under rain and cold conditions.
The local commander cautioned that travelers planning canyoning trips should avoid Bolulla until the area becomes safer. He stressed that even highly skilled participants can face sudden and dangerous water surges that are difficult to predict.
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