The 35-year-old was found at Premià de Mar port, about six kilometres from where she entered the water during Saturday’s torrential rain. Search crews worked through the night.
Crews began searching offshore after the stream search came up empty. On Sunday morning, they found the woman’s body floating by the breakwater at Premià de Mar port, about six kilometres from where she disappeared. Firefighters on shore spotted her. Mossos d’Esquadra officers recovered the body from the water.
She was swept away shortly before 7.30pm on Saturday while trying to cross a stream near Cabrera de Mar’s municipal pavilion. She had left the building with her husband; their two children were with them. Emergency services received the report of someone falling into the stream at 7.41pm, as torrential rain sent the water level rising quickly.
Mayor Òscar Fernández said people had been asked to remain inside the pavilion during the downpour. The stream was being crossed as 60 litres of rain fell in 40 minutes. That evening, Protección Civil sent an Es-Alert warning about the heavy rain to residents of four coastal counties in Barcelona province.
Bombers inspector Rat Puigverd said crews searched through the night, then intensified efforts along the stream towards the sea after daylight. When they failed to find the woman in the watercourse, they widened the search offshore. Up to 18 Bombers de la Generalitat crews took part, with 78 personnel. Local police also joined the operation. Mossos d’Esquadra took part, as did Salvamento Marítimo. Responders found personal belongings in the stream but could not confirm they belonged to the woman.
The councils of Cabrera de Mar and Malgrat will declare official mourning on Monday. Each council will hold a separate minute of silence.
Fernández urged residents to take warnings from the Generalitat and local councils seriously. He said intense rain can have fatal consequences.
Malgrat mayor Sònia Viñolas also urged people to act responsibly when warnings are issued. She acknowledged that alerts can cause alarm, while stressing they can reflect real danger.
