third death at Picos de Europa underscores ongoing danger in popular trails
He lost his footing and fell, grabbing a tree in a split-second effort to shield a friend. In the scramble to save her, he tumbled from an 80-meter drop and did not survive.
The tragedy unfolded this Tuesday in the Picos de Europa, marking the third fatality in just 17 days in the same scenic area. A 40-year-old Madrid resident, identified as FJB, died in the early afternoon after slipping from the Texu canal into the bed of the river of the same name. He had been attempting to assist a Canarian woman who had previously stumbled and slid down the valley but managed to cling to a tree. The woman was admitted to Arriondas Hospital with a severe anxiety episode and, at the outset, showed no serious injuries.
Three deaths have occurred in quick succession in areas that draw many visitors for their natural beauty. The Texu route runs about 3.2 kilometers, linking Poncebos to Bulnes in the Cabrales council. On Sunday, July 24, Javier Amigo from Gijón died while traveling from Poncebos toward Bulnes, choosing a steeper path along the banks of the Cares River instead of following the Texu canal.
No other casualties were reported this Tuesday; only a single man lost his life. The accident happened midway along the Texu canal. A spokesperson for the Gijón Civil Guard Command confirmed that the Special Mountain Response Rescue Group, GREIM, is conducting the investigation. At around 4:00 p.m., the woman who fell—still undisclosed reasons—slipped and descended a slope described by emergency crews as very leafy and extremely vertical. She managed to grab a tree in the moment of peril. Her friend immediately attempted to assist but also fell off the cliff. The injuries sustained were fatal. The man’s body was later transported to the Asturias Forensic Institute for examination.
Emergency crews from the 112 Asturias Coordination Center received the alert at 16:14. Reports indicate that a man fell into the river while a woman clung to a tree to avoid a fall from the cliff. The SEPA 112 room activated the medicalized helicopter rescue team and alerted the 112 services of Cantabria and Castilla y León. By 17:20, the woman had been rescued and carried to a safe area. By 18:12, authorities confirmed the man’s death.
SEPA described the recovery operation as very complex. Multiple helicopter winching maneuvers were required, and a firefighter-rescuer alongside a physician-rescuer later confirmed the fatal outcome. The scene demanded careful coordination and expert handling as rescue personnel worked to secure the area.
third death
This incident marks the third fatality in the Picos de Europa within 17 days. Earlier, a Portuguese tourist fell into the river at Poncebos at the start of the Cares route. On July 16, and roughly a week later, the search concluded with the death of another individual near the Estorez canal, following a challenging, multi-day operation.
While some theories point to hazards from a fence that may have contributed to the fall, authorities have not released all details publicly. The Gijón survivor has remained a focal point for emergency services during the past week. The timeline indicates the person left Poncebos alone on Sunday and, intending to follow the Texu canal, ended up on a different path that led to a steep incline and a treacherous descent. As findings accumulate, authorities note that the person died at the scene on the day the trail’s track was abandoned in the search data.