The number of mountain rescues by the Bomberos de Mallorca has increased by 40%

The Mountain Rescue Group of the Mallorca Fire Brigade carried out 320 interventions in 2022, 25% in locations close to the Torrent de Pareis

It carried out 320 interventions in 2022, 40% more than the previous year, when there were still some mobility restrictions due to the pandemic for a while.

6 out of 10 rescued were foreigners

The annual report of the Mountain Rescue Group (GRM) indicates that 6 out of 10 people assisted in 2022 were foreigners, and that 70% of the services required some kind of medical care and transfer of those affected. Almost 25% of the actions in 2022 were in the municipality of Escorca, in locations close to the Torrent de Pareis. Actions on beaches and along the coast accounted for 15% of the total number of services, basically for rescues in rocky areas and the transfer of injured people. This was reported by the Consell de Mallorca.

Without adequate equipment and physical preparation

Josep Lluís Colom, the councillor for finance and public administration, attributes the increase in rescues both to the fact that in 2021 there were still restrictions on mobility due to the pandemic and to the continuing upward trend in mountain activities. “Increasingly, hiking and mountain tourism is becoming a tourist attraction,” he said, generating more traffic to rural and forested areas of Mallorca. It happens that some people access the forest environment, streams or peaks without the proper equipment and physical preparation, he lamented. Colom emphasised the high professional qualifications and the guarantee of public service offered by the Bombers de Mallorca, and the Consell de Mallorca’s commitment to continuing to strengthen this emergency corps.

Descent of torrents and climbing, risky activities

For his part, the head of the Bombers de Mallorca service, Pedro Ladaria, warned of practices that carry a high risk of accidents, such as descending torrents and watercourses, and climbing activities.

The GRM of the Bombers de Mallorca is made up of 40 highly qualified professionals, 32 firefighters and 8 corporals, who are based at the Sóller and Inca fire stations.