The search for the driver swept away by the water in Llinars del Vallès will continue at night

BarcelonaFirefighters from the Generalitat (Catalan government) have been searching since Friday at midday for the driver of a van swept away by the Mogent River in Llinars del Vallès due to the recent heavy rains. On Saturday, the search area was extended to the sea because the water level was dropping significantly on Friday, explained the head of the operation, Sub-Inspector Héctor Serrat. He added that a helicopter flight was also conducted from the mouth of the Besòs River to the town. According to the Firefighters, it is "clear" that the person was inside the vehicle and "must be somewhere along the river," but as of Saturday night, there were no new developments. Serrat explained that the search would continue throughout Saturday night and into the early hours of Sunday morning, but with fewer personnel. Nightfall forced the withdrawal of aerial resources and personnel working in the water, leaving the search to approximately fifteen people who will continue the operation from land. The search is scheduled to resume on Sunday with the same team, which includes the use of a helicopter. Firefighters received a call from a relative of the driver on Friday at 2:32 p.m., alerting them that the man had called them from his car because it was stuck in the water and he was now reaching the cab. Although emergency teams gained access to the vehicle shortly afterward, which had overturned at the mouth of the Giola stream and the Mogent River, parallel to the AP-7 highway, they found no one inside.

More than 40 firefighters, including members of the underwater, canine, and drone divisions, have been searching for the driver for 24 hours. The location where the car was found is not a typical route for vehicles, but firefighters are working on the hypothesis that the man became stuck with the van about a kilometer further upstream, in a section that is usually dry and frequently used by car. The search efforts are focused on the banks of the Mogent River, between Llinars and Montmeló, and aerial resources are being used within a perimeter of approximately 30 kilometers. However, the search is concentrated on the area "where the vehicle was swept away to the dam in Montmeló," a stretch of about eight kilometers. Serrat stated that "clothing items are being found" in this search, but that they are "ruling out" that they belong to the missing person. In this regard, he indicated that for now "no indication has been found" that the missing man might be in that stretch of river. Serrat anticipated that, "if the weather remains as it has been"—that is, without rainfall—the river level will "gradually" decrease, which will aid the search and rescue operation. According to the mayor, Martí Pujol, the man apparently tried to cross a footbridge that had been closed off with police tape by the local police due to the high risk of flooding caused by the rains. He also indicated that the driver was not from the town and had probably taken the wrong path. The mayor stated that the water swept the van away "in a few minutes," and that the spot where he tried to cross is a point where the river "constricts" and where the flow of water cannot be controlled.