MISSING: Ignacio
MISSING: Ignacio

SPAIN’S foreign minister Alfonso Dastis has criticised the UK for not identifying a Spaniard who is believed to have died in the London terror attack quick enough. 

Dastis said the British government needs to do ‘everything humanly possible’ to let the family know the fate of Ignacio Echverria.

The 39-year-old, from Madrid, was last seen lying on the pavement after trying to defend a woman from one of the terrorists with his skateboard in Borough Market.

“We are pressing British authorities because, frankly, this is a situation that can’t be extended for much longer,” Dastis said.

He added that efforts must be pushed  ‘to the maximum’ to avoid ‘more anguish and pain’ for the family.

Alfonso Dastis
Alfonso Dastis

His family members tweeted UK prime minister Theresa May calling for the process to be sped up.

Fernando Vergara, the brother-in-law of Mr Echverría said: “Families of the victims of LB attacks feel mistreated by lack of information leading to unnecessary agony. 63 hrs still no news.”

The family have reportedly been told it could be another 48 hours before they are given confirmation of Ignacio’s fate.

The long wait is thought to be due to the fact that he was not carrying ID at the time, and that fingerprint confirmation must be acquired before identifying any victim.

UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson also said protocols needed to be followed before making identities public.

HSBC, for whom Ignacio worked, is said to have hired private investigators to find him.

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5 COMMENTS

  1. The british authorities, police, MI5, security officers, etc have demonstrated, once more, how useless they are.
    3 terrorist attacks in less than 3 months that they couldnt avoid, and now they cannot even identify 7 victims…
    The sad thing is that in this case, it was a Spanish guy who risked his life defending an english woman from an english terrorist, job that should have been done by the “police”.
    Hope he is safe and sound, but in britain you have always to expect the worst.

  2. This useless britons can’t even identify 7 victims….
    Not a surprise they have suffered 3 terrorist attacks in less than 2 months, committed by british terrorists.
    The sad part is that this Spanish guy was defending a british woman, something the useless british police had to do.

  3. For crying out loud…Would it not have been just as sad if a German/Frencch/American or whatever nationality was defending a british women..or even if she had been of any nationality!! I feel for the Spanish guy and his family and yes its terrible that they have gone through so much agony waiting for news but before you all get on your high and mighty band wagons regarding how useless the brit police are at combating terrorism then just remember the many Ata bombs on the tourist beaches that the Spanish police should have detected but didn’t because hey no matter what no one can watch every single persons movements…

  4. Or cast minds back to the Madrid train bombs. Until forensics proved conclusively that Jihadis were responsible, Aznar, backed strongly by Rajoy and others with axes to grind, insisted against all probabilities, that ETA had committed the atrocity, thus delaying essential detective work. Pot, kettle, black.

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