An 81-year-old man with Alzheimer’s has been found alive after disappearing for more than a day in Torre de la Horadada, sparking a major search involving police, Guardia Civil, Civil Protection and even a drone team.
The alarm was raised at 3.15pm on Saturday, June 6, when Pilar de la Horadada Local Police were alerted by the Guardia Civil in Torre de la Horadada that the elderly man had vanished from a local care home.
Officers immediately launched a coordinated search operation, joined by the Guardia Civil, Pilar de la Horadada Local Police and Civil Protection. Local police forces from neighbouring municipalities were also placed on alert as concern grew for the missing pensioner.
The search continued throughout Saturday and was reinforced on Sunday with aerial support. Local company Abejorros Horadada stepped in voluntarily, deploying a drone to scan several areas of the municipality in a desperate bid to locate the man.
The breakthrough finally came on Sunday night, June 7, after a member of the public reported seeing a person who had fallen down an embankment next to the N-332 road.
Emergency teams rushed to the scene and found the missing man conscious. With the help of the Guardia Civil, Civil Protection and medical services, he was rescued and taken by ambulance to hospital for treatment.
Councillor for Citizen Security Marina Sáez thanked residents for their support, saying public cooperation had been decisive in bringing the search to a positive conclusion.
She also praised the work of the Local Police, Guardia Civil, Civil Protection, health services, neighbouring police forces and Abejorros Horadada for their role in the operation.
