Search suspended for Catalan hiker killed in avalanche in Armenia

BarcelonaA Catalan hiker has died buried in the snow by an avalanche in Armenia, according to what the mayor of La Seu d'Urgell, Joan Barrera, and other sources consulted by this newspaper have confirmed to ARA. The mountaineer was participating in an ascent to the northern summit of Mount Aragats, an inactive volcano at 4,000 metres above sea level, practising ski mountaineering with eight other Catalan hikers, most of them from the capital of Alt Urgell. An avalanche surprised them and, although most were able to escape, one was unable to get out and the rescue services have been trying to recover his body. The rescue workers located him, but were unable to approach the body due to the lack of light and adverse weather conditions, according to the honorary consul of Armenia in Barcelona, ​​​​José Daniel Barquero, in statements to Efe.

The avalanche alert was received at 3:25 p.m. in the Caucasian country – at 12:25 p.m. Spanish time. The rescue service managed to reach the eight hikers, who were injured, and the helicopter took them out of the area. The search for the missing person, who is already presumed dead, was suspended at seven in the evening (Spanish time) after four hours. Two helicopters and about fifty people were involved.

The Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, explained that seven hikers are hospitalized and safe and the eighth rescued has helped in the search for the body of the missing mountaineer. "We hope to locate him as soon as possible," said Albares.

According to sources consulted by the ARA, the affected are a group of Catalans among whom are some firefighters, specifically from the Special Action Support Group of the Seu d'Urgell park, and also a volunteer firefighter. None of them is the dead hiker. Of the nine climbers, six were from Seu d'Urgell, and four of those rescued are part of the Unión Excursionista Urgellenca. The deceased climber is not from Alt Urgell.

President Salvador Illa has written on social media that he is "attentive to the people rescued after an avalanche in Armenia." "With the councilors Jaume Duch and Núria Parlon we are following up with the government's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and we are at the disposal of those affected and their families," the president added. The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs is following the situation on the ground through its diplomatic representation in Armenia and the Consolar Emergency Unit is mobilized. He is in contact with the Armenian embassy in Spain, with the Generalitat and with the Delegation of the Spanish government in Catalonia.