More details of dramatic rescue

The rescued  thanking their rescuers (Image: gomeranoticias.com)

More details have emerged of the dramatic rescue in the EL Rejo valley (see previous post). The two ladies are actually 23 years old and both are students from mainland Spain living in Tenerife. The had followed GPS instructions on their mobile phones when in the upper region of the El Rejo valley thinking their phones were showing them a shortcut to the main road through the valley after they had left the hiking path and became lost. One of them then slid about 20 metres down a steep incline and just managed to cling onto the branches of a tree above a vertical drop of 150 metres. The other girl tried to help her friend but ended up in a similar position above the gorge, also clinging to a tree. 

They had already called the emergency services on 112 at around 5 pm saying that they had left the path through the valley and were lost. They then tried to get to the main road before dark using the GPS service on their phones which subsequently lead them into their precarious trap. It was night by then and weather conditions were said to be adverse with high humidity and cold gusty winds, and they were beginning to suffer from exposure. 

A police helicopter from Tenerife set down three specially trained agents of the mountain police unit in the area in the early hours of the morning in 'very difficult conditions' who finally managed to locate the victims still clinging to the branches of trees above the gorge at around 04:20 am. At first light the rescuers began the laborious task of bringing the two ladies down the vertical drop of 150 metres to the bottom of the ravine in several stages with the aid of ropes and harnesses and from there a provisional path had been prepared to bring them to the waiting ambulance on the road where they arrived shaken but uninjured later that morning. Yesterday they visited the police headquarters in Santa Cruz de Tenerife to thank their rescuers.

Trapped hikers rescued with difficulty

Part of the El Rejo valley (Archive)

Two young tourists were brought to safety unharmed yesterday morning after an extended and difficult rescue operation in the northern fringes of La Gomera's national park. The two 22 year old ladies had become lost in the 'El Rejo' valley in the municipality of Hermigua the previous night at dusk and subsequently fell or slid down the mountainside into a position from where they couldn't find a way out. Luckily the remote location has mobile phone cover and they could call for help. The emergency services arrived and managed to locate the trapped hikers, but found they couldn't reach the victims due to the rough and dangerous terrain and lack of light. The stuck girls had to spend the night in their uncomfortable position, but food, etc., was dropped to them and mobile phone communication was maintained at all times. A special mountain unit of the Spanish police was sent from Tenerife and with the help of the local services as well as the national park's forestry department a provisional path had to be constructed to reach the stricken hikers at first light yesterday, and finally the laborious task of bringing them to safety succeeded.  The two victims were said to be unharmed but shaken by their ordeal.
SEE: UPDATE WITH MORE DETAILS

Even sheep stick to the safe paths here

The rescue helicopter was needed once again in the Argaga ravine near Valle Gran Rey yesterday around noon, after a 34 years old female hiker fell several metres in an area of difficult access there. The helicopter had to put down a rescue crew nearby from where they then had to fetch the injured on a stretcher to the pick-up point to be flown to the hospital in the capital San Sebastian de La Gomera. The injuries sustained by the women were said to be minor, so she had a lucky escape.

The area where the incident happened is notorious for bad falls and the the walk up and down that ravine is extremely dangerous and has been officially closed for years, yet many still attempt it. Also, there are still copies of outdated walking guides in circulation which list this walk, even though the gorge has claimed the lives of several walkers.

If you intend to hike in the mountains of La Gomera without a guide, make sure that your information is up-to-date, enquire locally and stick to clearly defined paths. Avoid areas such as Argaga gorge where the paths have eroded or collapsed. Even sheep wouldn't go there.