A British couple who went missing during flash floods in Valencia, Spain, have been found dead in their car, family members confirmed. Don Turner, 78, and his wife, Terri, 74, were last seen on Tuesday as severe rains swept through the region.
Their daughter, Ruth O’Loughlin, revealed to the BBC that her parents’ bodies were discovered on Saturday, ending days of anxious waiting and hopes they might be found alive.
The Turners, who had lived near Pedralba for a decade, were described by their daughter as well-known and well-loved members of their community, both in Spain and back in Burntwood, Staffordshire.
Speaking to BBC Radio WM, Ms. O’Loughlin recalled receiving the tragic news from her parents’ friends, who instructed her husband to “hold your wife” before confirming the worst.
Ms. O’Loughlin shared that her parents had stepped out that day to “pop out” for gas, with her mother updating friends just before their disappearance.
“We held out hope that they were still alive and maybe sheltering somewhere,” she said. Ms. O’Loughlin noted that despite the tragic circumstances, the family found a small comfort in knowing that her parents were together in their final moments.
Renee Turner, the couple’s other daughter, expressed anger and frustration toward the Spanish authorities, blaming what she perceived as a lack of effective warning measures and insufficient preparation for such a disaster.
“Not just our parents, so many people have died in this tragedy, and it is absolutely tragic,” she said, adding, “It should not have happened, not at all.”
In the days leading up to the tragedy, Ms. Turner had sent her father messages after seeing news of the flooding, but received no reply. She shared memories of their childhood in Burntwood, where her parents were a central part of the community.
“Everyone would know when my mum Terri was cooking – ‘Terri is making cookies, let’s go round Ruth and Renee’s house,’” Ms. O’Loughlin reminisced. She also described her father as a “proper dad” who would tell them stories early in the morning, as they each sat on one of his armchair arms.
The Turner family was notified of their parents’ disappearance after friends went to check on them and found their pets at home. Efforts to reach Don and Terri Turner during the crisis were unsuccessful, despite the family being in contact with the British Consulate and planning a trip to Valencia.
The floods that devastated Spain have claimed over 200 lives, in what is being called one of the country’s worst flooding disasters in generations.
Torrential rainfall triggered flash floods in multiple areas, leading to extensive search and rescue operations across the region.
Another British national, a 71-year-old man in Málaga, also died in the floods after being rescued and taken to hospital, where he suffered multiple cardiac arrests.
In Valencia, emergency teams are continuing to search underground parking areas, tunnels, and garages in hopes of finding survivors.
Rescuers have concentrated efforts on a multi-storey car park in Aldaia, which remains inundated with floodwater, although no further bodies have been recovered.
Amid the disaster, Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia, along with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, have faced protests and criticism from citizens.
As they toured flood-affected areas, demonstrators vented frustration by pelting them with mud, symbolizing the anger felt by many at what they claim was a lack of sufficient warning and preparation.
