A 42-year-old British woman died after falling about 500 metres while hiking in the Picos de Europa mountains in northern Spain, local authorities said.

The woman was walking in the Picos de Europa, a national park straddling the regions of Asturias, Cantabria and Castile and Leon, when she fell, according to local reports. Emergency services were called to the scene and responded to the accident area, but she could not be saved.

No further personal details were immediately released. Authorities did not provide information on the exact trail, the time of the fall or whether other hikers were involved.

The mountains are a popular destination for hiking and outdoor tourism, but they include exposed routes and areas where mobile phone coverage can be patchy. Rescue teams in Spain often operate in difficult terrain, especially in higher-altitude areas and national parks.