The 93-year-old British woman was taken to hospital on Friday after the devastating wildfire swept through the province of Almeria and the village of Bedar which was home to many foreign expats
Another British person has died after being caught in the devastating wildfires that swept through southern Spain, authorities said.
A 93-year-old British woman was taken to hospital on Friday after being injured in the fire, the Andalusian government has confirmed.
The was admitted to hospital with burns to about 20% of her body but tragically it was confirmed on Sunday afternoon that she had passed away.
Her death brings the total number of fatalities from the fires to 13. At least four of the dead are thought to be British after a burnt-out car with four bodies inside was found – the vehicle had its steering wheel on the right.
It follows news on Sunday that two British hikers were found alive but badly burned.
The man and woman, who have not been identified, are thought to have suffered 40% burns, according to Spanish national broadcaster, RTVE.
The pair were discovered by a team of Civil Guards, who said they had already checked the area, but had a feeling that they should go back.
In an interview with RTVE, the Civil Guard officers said they found the two British people alive just as night was falling.
Sergeant Pedro Barre told the broadcaster: “That experience we accumulate over the years is what tells you: take another look, give it one last try, check again just in case.”
He said they called out and used whistles, before eventually hearing a sound which they thought at first could have been an echo.
Another of the rescuers, Rafael Zea, said that given the couple’s injuries, it must have taken a “Titanic effort” for them to raise their voices to be heard.
With the help of firefighters and emergency services, they were rescued after more than two hours.
The pair are now said to be in a serious condition in hospital, although their lives are not believed to be in danger.
Spanish authorities believe all the victims were foreign tourists, who are thought to have attempted to escape on foot after apparently abandoning their vehicles and trying to flee through rugged terrain.
Antonio Sanz, head of Andalusia’s emergency services, previously said that authorities had completed post-mortem examinations and DNA samples were collected to identify them.
Spain has suffered frequent and severe heatwaves in recent years, with temperatures often exceeding 40C.
In June, Spain experienced several days of record-setting heat, with more than 1,000 excess deaths attributed to heat.
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