Spanish firefighters have rescued two Britons who spent five days in the open, drinking from ditches and animal troughs, after getting lost while trying to walk the Camino de Santiago pilgrims’ route.
The pair, who have not been named, set off from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port at 4pm last Friday, intending to walk across the French border to the Spanish town of Roncesvalles and spend the night there. But somewhere along the 20-mile (30km) trek, they got lost.
After quickly exhausting their food and water supplies, the two found themselves forced to drink whatever water they could find in streams, ditches and troughs.
The regional government of Navarra said the walkers had finally realised the severity of their situation early on Tuesday evening, and called the emergency services.
A helicopter crew, dispatched to look for them a little after 6pm, came across a large cross made of brightly coloured clothes just across the French border and a couple of miles from the Basque town of Valcarlos. Not far from it, they found the missing pair.
“They were tired, rather dehydrated and hungry,” the Navarra government said. “Given that the area was too steep to land the helicopter, the firefighters came down to check what kind of state the hikers were in. After making sure they were OK [and providing water], they decided not to risk a dangerous air rescue and chose instead to note down the co-ordinates and told the pilgrims to stay put while they went to get an off-road vehicle.”
When they returned, they found that the terrain was too difficult for the vehicle, forcing the pair to walk the final stretch. The regional government said they were given more water and some food, then taken by car to Roncesvalles, where they arrived at 8.45pm on Tuesday.
A spokesman for the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: “Two British nationals who were reported missing have now been safely found in Navarra. Our consular staff are ready to provide any support if requested.”
The 500-mile trek from southern France is one of many centuries-old routes across European countries that end in the Galician city of Santiago de Compostela, all known as the Camino de Santiago.
The city’s cathedral is reputed to house the remains of St James the Apostle, the patron saint of Spain. Although originally a pilgrimage for Roman Catholics, the camino is increasingly popular with hikers. In 2014 alone, more than 235,000 people were certified as having completed the pilgrimage.
Last year, amid several reports of harassment and threats, pilgrims and hikers were provided with an escort by members of the Guardia Civil police force for part of the route. Hikers have also been warned of the dangers of trying to make the pilgrimage during winter: in March, the same firefighter crew rescued two people who had been forced to take refuge in a shelter after the weather closed in.
