Missing 75-Year-Old Irish Pilgrim Found Alive in Lourdes After Extensive Search

A 75-year-old Irish woman, reported missing during a pilgrimage to Lourdes, has been found alive by French emergency services following an extensive search operation. The woman, who is disabled and had travelled with a group from the Diocese of Derry, vanished on Sunday evening. Her absence was reported by pilgrimage organisers on Monday morning.

French firefighters located her approximately 10 metres below a nearby roadway, in a steep and inaccessible area on the far side of the Gave de Pau river. Authorities believe she managed to cross the river before becoming stranded. She was found with a hip injury and was promptly transported by ambulance to a local hospital in Lourdes. Her injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

The search was aided significantly by a recently implemented emergency text alert system, which broadcast her disappearance to local shopkeepers, taxi drivers, transport staff, and other professionals. According to French news outlet La Dépêche, the breakthrough came when a witness reported finding a personal document belonging to the woman on the outskirts of Lourdes, along a route toward Argelès-Gazost.

This led emergency responders to focus their efforts in the area. A police mountain bike patrol discovered her walking frame near the roadside in Lugagnan. Officers then searched the adjacent terrain and riverbank.

“She had clearly crossed the Gave, as she was found on the opposite bank in a steep, hard-to-reach location,” a police spokesperson confirmed.

The woman was safely rescued by firefighters and is now receiving medical care. Authorities praised the coordination between emergency services and the community, which ultimately led to her discovery and rescue.