Tired and disorientated hikers rescued by helicopter

AFTER receiving reports that a group of 12 hikers (including four minors) had become lost on the Peñalara peak in the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (Madrid) a helicopter, part of the Guardia Civil Air Service was sent to rescue them.

Due to poor weather conditions, the helicopter could not take a direct course to the north face of the peak where the hikers were stuck and had to approach via a narrow pass, arriving at the same time as a Mountain Rescue team (SERIEM) who travelled separately overland from their base in Navacerrada.

The helicopter had to make a number of journeys in order to evacuate all of the hikers and once all were rescued, they were driven from the village of Valsain in Segovia to Cotos where they had left their vehicles.

No injuries were reported during this rescue.