Race against time to find elderly man with Alzheimer’s lost in Vall de Gallinera

An elderly man suffering from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s has been rescued after disappearing in the small village of Benialí, prompting a major emergency response involving firefighters, police, health services and a rescue helicopter. The operation ended successfully after rescuers located the man in difficult terrain following hours of searching.

Large-scale search launched

The search began shortly after midday on June 19 when authorities received reports that the man had gone missing within the municipality of Benialí, part of the picturesque Vall de Gallinera in Alicante province. Given the man’s age and medical conditions, emergency services immediately treated the situation as a high-priority rescue operation.
A coordinated response was quickly assembled, bringing together local municipal staff, Civil Protection volunteers, the Civil Guard, healthcare teams from the Valencian regional government and firefighters from the Alicante Provincial Fire Consortium. Search teams focused their efforts on the surrounding countryside and rural areas where the man was believed to have wandered.

Found in remote undergrowth

After several hours of intensive searching, rescuers eventually located the missing man lying motionless in dense undergrowth. The location proved difficult to access on foot, leading emergency teams to call in aerial support.
A rescue helicopter from the Alicante Provincial Fire Consortium was deployed to extract him safely from the remote area. Once he had been lifted to a more accessible location, medical teams took over and provided immediate care before transferring him for further assessment and treatment.

Emergency services praised

The operation highlighted the importance of rapid coordination between different emergency agencies when vulnerable people go missing. In cases involving conditions such as Alzheimer’s, time is often critical, particularly during the summer months when high temperatures can quickly create serious health risks.
Authorities confirmed that the alert was received at around midday and the operation concluded shortly after 9pm, meaning search teams spent more than nine hours working to locate the missing resident.

Community relief

The successful outcome has brought relief to the local community in Vall de Gallinera, where residents closely followed developments throughout the day. While the incident ended positively, it serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by families caring for relatives with cognitive illnesses and the vital role played by emergency services when vulnerable people disappear.