James Warren
A POPULAR cattle farmer has been killed in a freak accident on his ranch near the town of Caleta de Velez.
Salvador Lanza Lopez, 59, was killed after a calf he was moving crushed him against a wall, causing fatal injuries.
The incident occurred on Monday at Lopez’s ranch situated between the towns of Caleta de Velez and Torre del Mar at around 4.30pm.
Cattle buyers from Granada had arrived at Cortijo Los Hierros to purchase a number of Lopez’s prized beef cattle ready for market.
As Lopez and the two buyers helped load the cattle onto the specially adapted truck, one of the younger calves became curious and began to walk away from the loading bay.
Lopez tried to coax the animal with his cane when the calf turned and charged Lopez, crushing him against a wall next to the wagon.
The two men managed to get the calf off Lopez but the force of the accident caused severe, fatal damage to his abdomen.
Lopez was a popular figure in the farming community in Velez and had been farming milk and beef cattle for most of his life.
He was separated from his wife who lives in Germany with their two children who he visits several times a year.
The farm, owned by the Larios sugar company, was cleared of cattle in the wake of Lopez’s death as the community begins the mourning of the well-loved ‘Salvori’.
