A British man has died in an 80ft plunge near Spain’s Costa Blanca while abseiling at a mountain that locals call the "Sleeping Lion".
A woman who was with the unnamed 35-year-old mountaineer was rescued by helicopter and taken to hospital with a broken left leg.
The man is understood to have died after falling nearly 80ft while abseiling at Monte Ponoig in the south-eastern province of Alicante.
The injured woman is believed to be a 33-year-old Brit, although officials could not be reached to confirm her nationality.
She was taken to safety by a mountain rescue team on board Alfa 1, a fire service helicopter.
Footage posted on social media shows a yellow rescue helicopter hovering over the scene as a rescue worker is lowered with a basket stretcher.
Other videos show people on the mountainside and a patient in the stretcher being winched into the air towards the helicopter.
The tragedy happened around 4.30pm on Tuesday.
One eyewitness wrote on Facebook: "A shame. We could see the rescue from below. We thought they (rescuers in the helicopter) were doing manoeuvres."
The Brit’s death will be probed by a local investigating magistrate.
One local report said it was not yet clear if it could be linked to a fault with equipment or a health problem he suffered.
The rocky mountain is called the "Sleeping Lion" by locals because of its silhouette when seen from the nearby town of Polop, half an hour’s drive inland from Costa Blanca resorts such as Calpe.
It is one of the most emblematic mountains in the province of Alicante and is a popular spot for walkers as well as rock climbers.
The mountain is the southernmost extension of the Sierra de Aitana and has several peaks higher than a thousand metres (3,280ft).
The summit is at 1,181 metres (3,874ft).
It’s not unusual to see climbing or abseiling parties on the mountain. The gruelling climbs can take an entire day to complete.
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