Lydia Spencer-Elliott
A BODY found by the forensic team at the Zaldibar landfill avalanche has today been identified as missing worker Alberto Sololuze.
After six months of searching, the team discovered remains found on the slope where the disaster took place on February 6.
Another worker, Joaquín Beltrán remains missing. Thousands of tons of industrial waste and earth collapsed on top of the pair over half a year ago.
This Tuesday (August 18), forensics found bones, a camera, a watch strap and sunglasses at the scene, which Sololuze’s family have confirmed belonged to him.
Police arrested the three owners of the rubbish dump in July for potential breaches of environmental standards, workers’ rights and site mismanagement.
Alberto Sololuze and Joaquín Beltrán were stood on the surface of the site when the slope of rubbish gave way and crushed them both to death.
Despite an urgent rescue mission, fires, an asbestos discovery at the scene and unstable ground have slowed the authority’s progress in recovering the workers’ remains.
Family members have told the Spanish press that the site management team deliberately ignored warnings from workers and authorities that the tip was an accident waiting to happen.
