Walter Finch
A BODY has been recovered in the search for a missing couple whose vehicle was swept away by raging flood waters in Sevilla.
The grim discovery was made Tuesday in the Guadalbacar stream area near Constantina, where rescue teams had been searching for a married couple whose car was found overturned after being dragged away by the current.
“We can confirm that a body has been found in the area,” Fire Chief Manuel Blanco told Canal Sur.
Details about the identity of the deceased have not yet been released as the search operation continues.
READ MORE: Watch: Flooding across southern Spain as Storm Laurence sparks heavy rain and storms
The couple was reported missing after failing to arrive at work on Tuesday morning.
Colleagues alerted emergency services at 10.27am when the pair didn’t show up as expected.
According to the Provincial Council, firefighters discovered the vehicle overturned on the road to Puebla de Los Infantes after it had been dragged away by floodwaters from a nearby stream.
READ MORE: Five elderly passengers ‘seriously injured’ after tourist coach overturns in Spain
Juanma Moreno, the President of the Junta de Andalucía, described the situation as ‘most concerning’ following a meeting with the President of Galicia’s regional government, Alfonso Rueda, in Sevilla.
“It appears they were driving their SUV to work early in the morning on a private estate.
“When they attempted to cross one of the streams, their vehicle overturned and was swept away by the current,” he explained, while urging all Andalucians to exercise extreme caution.
A massive search operation has been mobilised, involving Guardia Civil units including Seprona (Nature Protection Service), Citizen Security, Usecic, helicopter support, Mountain Rescue Group, and the Special Group for Underwater Activities (GEAS).
The incident comes as Storm Laurence caused widespread disruption across Andalucia, with 19 rivers on red alert, tornados reported, and approximately 1,400 people evacuated upstream from Malaga city.
In Sevilla, the AP-4 motorway between Dos Hermanas and Los Palacios y Villafranca remains impassable due to flooding.
