Calpe drone rescue tracks down missing girl in dramatic night search

A 12-year-old girl got lost while attempting to reach the summit of La Mola de Oltà in Calpe on Sunday evening around 7:20 PM. When she didn't return home, an emergency search was activated. The search involved officers from Calpe Local Police, Civil Protection, and Alicante Fire Service's rescue team. To aid in the search, a drone from Calpe's UMAC unit was deployed.

Its aerial view proved crucial in locating the girl, who was found about 20 meters from the summit in a hard-to-reach area with limited visibility. The drone maintained contact with the girl and guided the firefighters to her exact location. The rescue team arrived at approximately 11:21 PM, several hours after she had left her home.

The girl was unharmed and did not require medical attention. She was safely returned to her family by the police officers, emphasizing the increasingly important role of technology in emergency searches, especially in mountainous regions where darkness and difficult terrain can complicate traditional search efforts.