New Questions Emerge Over Missing Hour in Valencia Flood Tragedy Timeline

Fresh scrutiny has fallen on former Valencia regional president Carlos Mazón over an unexplained gap in his timeline on the day catastrophic floods killed 229 people in October 2024. While it was known he spent nearly four hours at lunch with journalist Maribel Vilaplana, new reports suggest their meeting may have continued beyond the restaurant, contradicting their earlier statements. The delayed emergency alert issued after 20:00 — when most victims had already died — has intensified public anger and led to Mazón’s resignation.

Court records show Vilaplana left an underground car park at 19:47, later than she claimed. Local reports now allege she drove Mazón to the regional government headquarters shortly before 20:00, raising questions about the 37-minute period when Mazón missed several calls and his movements remain unclear. Security footage confirms he arrived at the emergency agency only at 20:28. Other unverified accounts suggest he may have briefly gone home before returning to work. Mazón denies all claims that he was driven or made any detours.

As the investigation widens, Mazón and his team maintain that central authorities failed to provide timely information on the unfolding disaster. However, testimony from his own chief of staff indicates they were aware of the gravity of the situation hours before any action was taken. While Mazón cannot be charged due to parliamentary immunity, pressure is mounting from opposition figures who accuse him of hiding the truth about his actions during the deadly crisis.

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