Military Helicopters Hoist Stranded Residents Out of Deadly Spain Floods

Spain’s military emergency unit used helicopters to hoist stranded residents from flooded homes and fields in eastern Spain after the storm known as DANA Adam cut off whole neighborhoods.

Footage released by Spain’s Defense Ministry shows Military Emergencies Unit (UME) rescuers being lowered from a helicopter onto patios surrounded by muddy water in Oliva on October 19, a rescuer and a resident being lifted from open floodwater, and evacuees wrapped in thermal blankets inside the aircraft.

“Bringing to safety people who were isolated by DANA Adam is one of the UME’s priority tasks in Oliva,” the ministry said. “With the support of helicopters, capabilities multiply to reach every corner.”

The UME’s Third Intervention Battalion was mobilized to evacuate older and vulnerable people trapped in their homes. The government’s delegate in Valencia said the UME rescued more than 200 people. The unit was stood down that evening as the emergency eased and regional authorities lifted confinement orders across the area.