Tenerife Emergency Services Respond to Masca Ravine Rescue and Vehicle Fire
Tenerife emergency services successfully conducted a complex high-mountain rescue of a hiker in the Masca ravine and extinguished a vehicle fire in Granadilla de Abona on Wednesday.
Tenerife’s rugged landscape, filled with deep ravines and complex trails, once again challenged the island’s emergency services this Wednesday. The Tenerife Fire Consortium reported two separate incidents that highlight the constant pressure on local rescue and firefighting teams.
The most complex operation took place in the Masca ravine, located in Buenavista del Norte. A hiker fell ill while trekking through the area and was unable to continue, triggering a high-mountain rescue. The mission began at 4:15 p.m. and involved firefighters from Guía de Isora and San Miguel de Abona, supported by volunteers from Santiago del Teide. After an initial medical check, the hiker was placed in a basket stretcher and moved to a safe spot, where the Emergency and Rescue Group (GES) completed an aerial evacuation. The Civil Guard, local police, and the Canary Islands Emergency Service (SUC) also assisted in the rescue.
Rescues in these remote ravines are common in the Canary Islands. The combination of difficult terrain and high visitor numbers requires constant coordination between different agencies. These operations are particularly challenging because they often take place in areas completely inaccessible by road.
Earlier that day, at 2:35 p.m., the San Miguel de Abona fire station handled an urban emergency in Granadilla de Abona. Firefighters were called to a car fire caused by an engine fault. They successfully extinguished the flames and disconnected the battery to ensure the area was safe. While less technically demanding than the Masca rescue, the incident serves as a reminder of the wide variety of risks emergency teams face on a daily basis.