Spanish soldier dies fighting Aragon wildfire

A Spanish soldier died on Sunday after his fire engine tumbled into a ravine while battling a major wildfire in the northeastern Aragon region, authorities said. The army's Military Emergencies Unit confirmed the loss. Three other crew members were hospitalised with injuries.

The fire has raged for a week, threatening the 1,000-year-old San Juan de la Pena monasteries and forcing over 1,000 people to evacuate. Hindustan Times reports that the regional government deployed the largest firefighting force in Aragon's history, with 1,000 personnel including 100 French reinforcements.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed solidarity with the victim's family. The flames have spread across 17,500 hectares. A suspect has been arrested for starting the blaze. In southern Andalusia, a separate 10-day wildfire affecting over 25,000 hectares was declared under control on Sunday.