The five Spaniards who disappeared since Thursday on a hill in the municipality of La Ciénaga, in the province of Barahona (southwest of the Dominican Republic), while practicing canyoning have been located safe and sound, according to Civil Defense.
According to the Director of Civil Defense Operations, Delfín Rodríguez, the Spaniards were in a deep ravine in Loma de Bahoruco and responded to the call made with a whistle by the relief teams.
At this moment the brigades are trying to approach the place where the Spaniards are, four of them firefighters from different districts of Andalusia (southern Spain).
This is Diana Madrazo Álamo, belonging to the Fire Department of the Seville City Council; Juan Antonio Murga Tomillo, firefighter of the Alcalá de Guadaira City Council; Carlos Rodríguez, from the Córdoba City Council Fire Department; a fourth firefighter only identified as Iván and belonging to the Los Palacios and Villafranca City Council, as well as his partner, identified as Vanesa.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, access to the area presents some difficulties, as well as communications, which is why specialized personnel from the Emergency Operations Center (COE) "are reaching the point of contact to evaluate the rescue teams to be used to remove the foreigners".
The person in charge of Attention to Emergencies and Environmental Damage of the ministry, Emely Gil, said that despite the rains in the area "the rescue work continues with the accompaniment of the Fire Department of (the community of) La Ciénaga," said Gil. , who thanked the voluntary incorporation of the community members who participated in the search efforts.
He indicated that, apparently, the foreigners entered through the area known as El Guindadero, between La Ciénaga and the Bahoruco River because they had the intention of practicing rappelling.
The group had arrived in the Dominican Republic on November 14 to practice canyoning, their compatriot Eduardo Gómez previously explained to EFE, who was part of the group of friends, regulars in this sport, and who reported this morning locally of the disappearance of his companions in Bahoruco Hill.
The five Spaniards - three men and two women - disappeared at a time when they were separated from Gómez, who had arrived in this Caribbean country a few days before.
In addition to the Civil Defense and the Ministry of the Environment, local firefighters, the Tourist Police and the Army of the Dominican Republic participate in the location and rescue work, an area of the country where actions have been taken in response to the rains expected for this weekend, due to a potential tropical cyclone located near Jamaica
