Emergency teams deploy drones and search crews for missing 86-year-old in La Alberca

Disappearance in La Alberca

Emergency services in the province of Salamanca initiated an active search operation on Saturday, 22 August 2026, following the disappearance of an 86-year-old man in the municipality of La Alberca. The individual was reported missing at midday, prompting local law enforcement to evaluate the surrounding areas. The Guardia Civil Operational Services Center (COS) in Salamanca placed an emergency notification to the Emergency Coordination Center of Castile and León at approximately 15:20 to report the situation. Upon receiving the call confirming that the octogenarian could not be located, regional emergency authorities formally established an integrated response. The Emergency Coordination Center took charge of operational management to direct field resources and coordinate across municipal and regional services in the province.

Mobilisation of ground search teams

Early on Saturday afternoon, the Civil Protection and Emergencies Agency activated multiple response units to assist the Guardia Civil officers already working on the ground. The agency mobilized volunteer civil protection detachments from three neighboring municipalities: Guijuelo, Béjar, and Serradilla del Llano. These volunteer searchers worked alongside Guardia Civil personnel throughout Saturday afternoon, conducting systematic sweeps across pathways, peripheral zones, and rural terrain in and around La Alberca. Ground personnel maintained intensive inspections of the designated search sectors for several consecutive hours. Despite the coordinated deployment of the volunteer groups and police patrols, the afternoon search concluded without locating the missing 86-year-old or identifying his direction of travel.

Overnight deployment of thermal drones

As daylight diminished and ground searches yielded no positive results by late Saturday afternoon, the Emergency Coordination Center modified its tactical plan to sustain operations through the night. The regional emergency authority activated the Fénix Drone Unit, dispatching two specialized drone pilots to the operational zone in La Alberca. The unmanned aerial platforms operated by the unit were equipped with thermal imaging cameras designed to detect heat signatures in darkness. This aerial capability allowed the emergency response team to survey open fields, rural areas, and uneven ground during the overnight hours. Thermal camera surveillance provided visibility across sectors where nighttime ground tracking was impeded by darkness.

Reinforcements for Sunday operations

Emergency authorities maintained operations through the night while organizing an expanded search footprint for Sunday morning, 23 August 2026. The Castile and León Civil Protection and Emergencies Agency scheduled the deployment of additional material assets and response personnel to reinforce the area at first light. These planned reinforcements will join the ongoing efforts alongside the Guardia Civil, the Fénix Drone Unit, and the volunteer civil protection units of Guijuelo, Béjar, and Serradilla del Llano. The Emergency Coordination Center continues to direct all ground and aerial interventions, tracking field reports and refining search perimeters as the multi-agency operation in La Alberca continues into Sunday.