Emergency services rescue driver trapped in tunnel at Malaga Airport
The driver, who was unharmed, called 112 after noticing that water was entering her vehicle
A woman was rescued by firefighters and local police early on Monday morning after becoming trapped in her car in a tunnel at Málaga Airport. The tunnel, located on Avenida del Comandante García Morato, had been closed due to a significant pool of water. Fortunately, the driver was unharmed.
The incident occurred around 7.30 am when emergency services received a call from the woman. She reported being stuck in the tunnel, which links the airport with the Zapata neighbourhood in Alhaurín de la Torre. Despite the tunnel being closed to traffic, the woman failed to notice the closure signs due to the darkness, mistakenly believing the water was just a puddle.
When she attempted to drive through, her car became overwhelmed by the rising water. She contacted the emergency services, explaining that water was flooding the vehicle. A number of emergency teams were swiftly dispatched to the scene. While the woman was understandably anxious, she did not require medical assistance, and the operation concluded successfully around 8.30 am.
The rescue came amidst a wave of weather-related incidents across the province, following the activation of a red alert for heavy rainfall on Sunday. Emergency services responded to 120 incidents, most of which were linked to flooding, including damage to homes, streets, and roads.
In another dramatic rescue, two women were pulled from the flooded Guadalhorce riverbed in the El Chorro area of Álora. The women had become stranded after being caught by rapidly rising floodwaters. They contacted emergency services around 3 pm, but fortunately, they had managed to escape the submerged vehicle and move to safety on the riverbank.
Álora Mayor Francisco Martínez told SUR that the women were familiar with the stretch of road between Las Mellizas and El Chorro, and their knowledge of the area likely helped them remain calm despite the danger.
In a separate incident, Coín firefighters rescued two people trapped in a vehicle on Cuesta de Carreolos in Alhaurín el Grande. The emergency team successfully moved the car to higher ground, where a crane may be used to recover it later.
One of the most affected areas was the Guadalhorce Valley, particularly the municipality of Cártama. As a precautionary measure, around 30 residents were evacuated from their homes. Twelve were accommodated in a local centre set up by the town hall, while others sought refuge with family members.
As heavy rainfall continues to impact the region, emergency services remain on high alert.
