Heartbreak as daughter of Brits killed in Spanish floods share couple's future plans

One of the daughters of a Staffordshire couple who died when they became trapped in their car during the floods in Valencia shared a heartbreaking detail about their future plans during an inquest. Donald Turner, 78, and Terry Turner, 74, were found dead in their vehicle on November 2, 2024.

Spain experienced its worst flooding disaster in decades when an unprecedented deluge struck on October 29 last year. In just eight hours, nearly a year's worth of rain fell, overwhelming infrastructure and causing widespread devastation. The catastrophe claimed the lives of more than 230 people, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in the country's recent history. During an inquest into the tragedy, it was revealed that a couple had been reported missing to Spanish authorities as the torrential waters swept through the city, highlighting the chaos and desperation faced by residents as the floods unfolded.

Ruth and Renee, the daughters of the victims, blamed Spanish authorities for not giving enough warning about the severe floods when their parents died. These concerns were later presented during the inquest. One of the daughters shared that the couple was planning to return to the UK, years after moving out of the country.

Renee Turner said: "They'd planned to move away for retirement for a long time. They actually wanted to go to Greece originally, but the house prices were too expensive. They'd lived there for 11 years. Dad loved it, but Mum had started to miss home towards the end. They were actually planning on moving back soon - which just makes it all the more tragic."

Another daughter Ruth O'Loughlin said: "They were the best people. And the best parents anyone could have ever asked for. Dad was always the funny one, being silly and having a laugh. Mum was more serious but she always gave the best advice when you needed it."

Coroner Andrew Barkley said: "The issue at hand, which is of course a very valid concern, is that the outcome may have been different had a weather warning been given earlier.

"The difficulty I have with that is I don't have any evidence that helps me come to a sensible conclusion. Of course, predicting a flooding event and the effects it will have is often very difficult. Whilst I understand fully that there is a very legitimate concern, I don't think we can take that particular matter any further forward."

Mr Barkley said that the couple had died as a result of misadventure after becoming caught up in the floods. He added: "It was a natural event. The misadventure is that they died as a consequence of driving their car to a petrol station to get gas.

"My thanks to all the family for attending. Your evidence has been very helpful. It is very difficult when the information we've received from the foreign jurisdiction is so sparse. I hope this has brought you some form of closure."