Major ground and air search launched to locate American cyclist reported missing in the mountains of Andalucía

Fifty-year-old Matt Opperman, who has lived in Malaga province for several years, was last seen on 24 January after going to a rural house, where his van has been found

Irene Quirante

Malaga

Friday, 7 February 2025, 19:05 | Updated 19:11h.

Spain's Guardia Civil police force has deployed a major ground and air search operation in Andalucía in an effort to locate a missing American cyclist who has not been heard from since 24 January. His name is Matt Opperman, he is 50 years old and he has lived in Malaga province for several years. He apparently headed to the mountains of Jaén to spend a few days staying in a rural property.

Everything suggests that he may have gone missing while out riding a cycle route through the Sierra de Segura area. Nothing has been heard from hom since 24 January and his friends have launched a major campaign on social media networks calling for the public's help to try to locate Opperman.

He is described as blonde, approximately 1.90 metres tall and fluent in Spanish. Opperman reportedly disappeared after staying in a local rural house, according to sources, where his van was found. His friends suspect that Opperman went out with his Yeti bicycle, which has a turquoise-coloured frame.

A keen sportsman and cycling enthusiast, the American is a member of the Malaga-based club SpainDh, which organises cycling routes through challenging areas such as the Montes de Málaga. This organisation has made an appeal through social media networks and it has organised two events to search for him.

The first will take place tomorrow, Saturday 8 February, and the second on Sunday 9th. In both cases the starting point is the Era del Fustal-Peña del Olivar crossroads, from where the search parties will head out at nine o'clock in the morning.

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