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Body of missing Brit found in northern Spain

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The 48-year-old disappeared a week ago in Castilla y León after a fight with his wife

Body of missing Brit found in northern Spain

A body believed to be that of British man Steven Michael B, 48, who disappeared more than a week ago in northern Spain, has been found in the region of Castilla y León. The expat vanished on July 11 after getting into an argument with his wife at a garage in the village of Las Salas.

Local police have revealed that a body matching Steven’s description was discovered in the bell tower of the village church on Sunday July 21.

Shockingly, this is the fourth Briton reported missing in Spain in the last few weeks. Following more than a month of searches in rural Tenerife, Lancashire teenager Jay Slater was found dead last week. And fellow countryman Ben Ross, a 26-year-old law student from Golborne in Wigan, hasn’t been seen or heard from since July 10, when he disappeared from Palma, the capital of Mallorca.

Last week, mountain rescue joined the search for Steven after he left his wife following a row. His car and personal belongings were found a short time later, sparking fears for the safety of the keen mountaineer.

However, over the weekend, a local stumbled across the body in the church. According to mayor Manuel Valbuena, nobody else is being sought in connection with the man’s death.

The search operation began in the municipality of Cremenes on July 11 after his wife reported him missing. Spain’s National Missing Persons Centre (CNDES) quickly released a photo of Steven, though they only partially identified him at the time.

Mountain specialists from the Guardia Civil’s Greim unit, who were also involved in the search for Jay Slater in Tenerife, were deployed. Their efforts were supported by drones, a helicopter and a trained sniffer dog.

The search concentrated on the banks of the Esla River, a tributary of the Duero River, and the nearby mountainous areas before police divers began to search the river itself.

Just last month, another tragic incident occurred when a 70-year-old British hiker from London was found dead in the Spanish Pyrenees. Authorities had been conducting an extensive search since his disappearance on June 24.

In other news: Irish child, 11, falls to her death from hotel balcony in Spain

Image: Junta de Castilla y León

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