A group of dogs that had been trapped by the lava from the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the Spanish island of La Palma were secretly rescued by an unknown group of activists, anticipating the operation that local authorities were preparing.
The Government of the Canary Islands, together with the drone company Aerocámaras, had drawn up a plan to rescue the animals by air, although the exact date had not yet been announced.
However, a group of animalists calling themselves A-Team (Team A, as in the television series) made it known through a video that the six dogs have already been rescued and, they say, are safe and sound.
The video images show the empty pond in which the animals had been trapped since lava flows made it impossible to access the area after the September 19 eruption.
The dogs were located in early October after an aerial inspection of the area.
Since then, two local technology companies have watched over their well-being and food through drones until they come up with a viable rescue plan.
Against the law
The A-Team did not specify when it rescued the animals, how it reached them and where they are.
They only left as proof of their actions a banner with the following message: "Fuerza La Palma. The dogs are fine. A-Team."
The local newspaper Palmerus.es, which advanced the news, implied that the operation took place several days ago.
The rescue raises many questions, mainly at the logistical and legal level.
The authorities had prohibited the passage due to the danger and high temperatures on the ground.
But the Aerocamaras company, officially in charge of the rescue, affirmed that there are traces of human footprints next to the pond.
"Today we have been reviewing the images and we have confirmed with the authorities that
traces have appeared where the dogs were
," explained the CEO of Aerocamaras, Jaime Pereira, in an interview with the newspaper El País.