Much-loved Malaga school teacher falls to his death in Spain's Sierra Nevada mountains

52-year-old Javier Arias, who taught economics, had a passion for climbing and will be deeply missed by students and colleagues at the secondary school where he worked

Irene Quirante / Laura Velasco

Malaga / Granada

Tuesday, 12 December 2023 | Updated 14/12/2023 12:21h.

A Malaga school teacher with a passion for mountaineering has died after he fell during a trip to Granada province's Sierra Nevada mountain range on Sunday.

Javier Arias, who taught economics at the IES Vicente Espinel (Gaona) in Malaga, had spent the morning of 10 December climbing with a friend in the Sierra Nevada mountains, but on his way back the 52-year-old fell 80 metres to his death.

The incident sent shockwaves through his school community where he had been teaching since 2010. "He was a beloved teacher, friend and colleague," the school's management team told SUR. "If he stood out for anything it was for his positive and cheerful spirit," they added.

Tributes have also poured for Javier on social media networks where his students pointed out how close he was to them and how he had left an indelible mark on their lives. "We will always remember you," they wrote.

Javier, who leaves behind a 16-year-old daughter, had a wealth of experience in mountain sports. He had been a member of the Malaga Trail Running Club for many years, where he made great friends who he used to go on sporting trips with.

Pico del Cartujo

Apparently, Javier had gone to the Sierra Nevada with a friend and member of the same sports organisation. They started out early in the morning and climbed up to the Pico del Cartujo. While descending, at about 3.30pm, they stopped to rest and eat something.

It was Javier's friend who witnessed the fall and immediately alerted 112 Andalucía at 5.15pm, according to sources. It is not yet known what caused the fall, but Javier plunged about 80 metres through a difficult to access area of icy snow.

The incident happened in the Tajos de La Virgen, in the municipality of Dílar in Granada. Javier had died at the scene by the time a mountain rescue team was able to reach him. His body was recovered with the help of a vehicle from the Sierra Nevada ski resort, as it was too dark for a helicopter to fly.

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