Costa News Spain Breaking News | English News in Spain.
The Guardia Civil, a Spanish police force, carried out two brave but successful mountain rescues on Saturday 10th January in Malaga province. These incidents highlight the difficulties that adventurers often face when they are in difficult terrain.
In the first incident around 3pm the Guardia Civil Mountain Rescue and Intervention Group GREIM from Alora responded to help a Belgian young man trapped on a rock face 80 metres high in Istan just north of Marbella. A man who was trapped on a rock face 80 metres high in Istan, just north of Marbella and unable to move because of the risk he would fall needed immediate help. A Guardia Civil Granada helicopter was sent to assist the GREIM rescue team. Rescuers used precise crane movements to remove the victim without serious injury. He was transported to a safe place for evacuation.
Zip line too heavy
On the same day, emergency personnel responded to a rescue at Montejaque’s Los Caballeros dam. A man got stuck on a zip-line in the area. Between about 1.50pm and 2:45pm, the Consorcio Provincial de Bomberos de Ronda personnel responded to a call. intervened They successfully freed him. He was fortunate to have not been injured. The reports stated that this was a second major rescue in the province, after the Istan incident.
The rescues show that outdoor activities like climbing and adventure sport in Malaga’s mountains can be dangerous.
Malaga mountain misadventures – poor planning, overconfidence and a lack of preparation
GREIM’s units in the Guardia Civil carry out hundreds of operations like this every year across Spain, due to misadventures made by climbers, hikers and other mountain users. Statistics show that the number of rescues is increasing, from 600 to 1,001 or more per year depending on when they are performed. This trend is mainly due to hikers underestimating their abilities and not being prepared, as well as sudden weather changes. In 2025’s first seven months, the Guardia Civil alone reported 689 rescues across the country, helping over 1,000 individuals (including many who were not injured but simply needed to be extracted). In some reports, more than half the cases are attributed to hiking. These figures only reflect the Guardia Civil, but other regional rescue services are also involved in certain areas. To reduce the number of these incidents, authorities have repeatedly urged proper planning, equipment and a reduction in overconfidence.
