Search intensifies for missing Malaga military diver in Huesca

The search has intensified in Huesca for the missing military diver from Malaga

As the search continues for the Malaga-born Army sergeant, Mario Quiros Ruiz, the military diver reported missing last Tuesday, October 12, a motorised robot with underwater cameras has been drafted in to help.

The young soldier – who would have been 23-years-old today, Friday, October 15 – was confirmed to have disappeared at around 3am last Tuesday, while on a military diving exercise in the El Grado reservoir in the Huesca region of Aragon. It is believed that the divers were operating in pairs, but that sergeant Ruiz somehow got separated from his diving partner and did not surface.

Sixteen divers from the Guardia Civil’s GEAS underwater search team are also at the scene. Jesus Fernandez, the officer in charge of the GEAS team explained, “We first made the visibility, depth and water temperature checks before starting our dives. But it is not easy”, adding, “But first we have to locate the exact point to carry out the rescue”.

At 72 metres deep, and in freezing cold water, this creates a major problem for the divers, whose air bottles only allow them to descend to a depth of 50 metres. A special supply of cylinders is being delivered from Madrid.

Using an inflatable boat, a team of GEAS officers are controlling an underwater robot with cameras. These officers are resigned to the fact that their task could last for weeks due to the size of the search area. “But a stroke of luck could bring everything to an end sooner”, acknowledged Jesus Fernandez, as reported by surinenglish.com.

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