Two young brothers aged three and five found dead after two weeks of searching

The bodies of two brothers, Ruben and Izan Matias Calatayud, aged 3 and 5, were found in Catarroja in the Valencia region, about 10 kilometers downstream from their home located in Torrent, reports BFM TV. This terrible discovery comes two weeks after their tragic disappearance during the floods which hit Spain, causing at least 223 deaths, mainly in the Valencia region, according to the Guardia Civil.

This family drama was told by their aunt, Barbara Sastre, on the public channel TVE. She explained that “the sound of the water frightened the children.” Their father, seeking to calm them, tried to protect them, but “all three of them were dragged outside” by the force of the waters. The father survived by clinging to a tree for several hours, while the children were carried away.

Days and days of research

Rescue teams mobilized land and sea resources, concentrating their searches in ravines and isolated areas, as well as on the Valencian coast. Barbara Sastre expressed the family’s anguish on November 6: “It’s been several days and they are very small. We know they are looking for them and search parties are launched every day. »

The Valencia region remains under threat from bad weather. The Spanish Meteorological Service has placed the territory on red alert for Thursday, November 14, warning that “the danger is extreme” due to heavy rain forecast.