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A 76-year-old British tourist has been safely rescued after spending nearly 28 hours alone in a ravine in Tenerife, following a walk that turned into a major emergency operation.

 

Susan Hornsby, from southwest England, set off alone on Friday at around 10am for a routine three-hour hike along a well-known trail. When she didn't come back and couldn't be reached by phone, her family raised the alarm, prompting a large-scale search involving emergency services, volunteers, and local residents.

 

Details of her disappearance spread fast on social media, with family sharing that she was wearing a distinctive red coat and white hat. They later revealed she had even managed to send an email asking for medical help some hours into the walk.

 

Crucially, providing the IMEI number (International Mobile Equipment Identity – a unique identifier number) of her mobile phone helped rescuers pinpoint a specific area, focusing efforts on a ravine. Around 2pm on Saturday, they found her alive and conscious. A helicopter airlifted her out and she was taken straight to hospital for checks.

 

Her relieved family confirmed afterwards that she was doing well. They took the chance to warn others about the risks. As one relative put it, they urged "extreme caution on hiking trails," advising people to always turn on mobile phone location services and avoid going alone.

 

The scare serves as a stark reminder for anyone out walking in Tenerife's rugged terrain. These trails can catch even experienced hikers off guard if things go wrong, especially when you're on your own. It's good news that Susan made it through unscathed, but it underscores how quickly a simple outing can escalate.

 

Local emergency teams handled the operation smoothly, and her family has expressed huge thanks to everyone involved.

 

 

 

Image: Chris muschard/Pixabay