MEMORIALS TO PILGRIMS WHO DIED ON THE CAMINO

Every year a few pilgrims die whilst on the Camino.  Some have heart attacks, others die of existing conditions, and many more are killed on the roads by vehicles.  Some risk crossing high places and are trapped in snow or blizzards; others risk shortcuts that might lead to precipes or dangerous places where accidents happen.

The numerous memorials erected by the loved ones of those who lost their lives on the Camino are a poignant reminder that with over 500 000 pilgrims on the Caminos each year, deaths will occur. 

In the middle ages, if a pilgrim died whilst on a pilgrimage they would bypass purgatory and go straight to heaven.  It is a comforting thought for those who have lost loved ones on the Camino -   may they all rest in peace,

Here are a few names (incomplete) for each year since 1986 compiled from newspaper reports, pilgrims' submissions and the list on the Spanish Federation website.  If you know someone who has died on the Camino whose name is not on this list, please share them with me or send send details to administracion@caminosantiago.org 

2023

May 2023

18 May A Dutch pilgrim, 70 years old, who died suddenly on in Sarria (Lugo), in a house for tourist use where he was staying.

May 25, 2023. A foreign pilgrim, who died suddenly in one of the private shelters in the city of Lugo, on the afternoon of

 

September

José Francisco Álvarez Villamayor, a pilgrim, died in Triacastela in the early morning of September 7, he went to bed and died while he was sleeping. He had left Roncesvalles on August 11 and dedicated El Camino to his brother who had died a few months before.

 October

An Indonesian pilgrim (J.D.), 58 years old, who was on pilgrimage with his wife and who had begun the pilgrimage in Sarria that same morning of October 1, 2023, but at the height of Mirallos (Paradela, Lugo) felt unwell and fainted and died immediately.

An American pilgrim, who was traveling with his wife along the Camino del Norte and near the town of Caravies (Llanera, Asturias), suddenly collapsed and died on the afternoon of October 2, 2023.

 

2022

February:  

A 20-year-old Angolan pilgrim who was doing the Camino with a group of friends disappeared in the waters of the Miño River in Orense while bathing on the afternoon of 23 February.  His body was recovered the following day.

·          April :  A 64-year-old North American pilgrim was found dead on 8 April in the municipality of Zubiri (Navarra). He apparently died of natural causes.

A Brazilian pilgrim collapsed on the path on the way to Zubiri. The helicopter wasn't able to land and so the paramedics were forced to run up the path.  The medics tried to revive the man but sadly after 45 minutes the man was declared dead.

·        A young Dutch woman, 28 years old, who was the accompanying driver of a young Dutch pilgrim, fell down a hill while manoeuvring her van near Demués (Asturias), on 25 April.  She died in the medical helicopter that came to her rescue. 

May:  A French pilgrim who was walking the Wool Route died in a hostel in Alatoz (Albacete) during the night of 2 or 3 May. The next morning a fellow pilgrim went to wake him up and found him already dead, apparently the victim of a heart attack

A 31-year-old Colombian cyclist pilgrim, who was on the Camino de Madrid on 7 May, was hit by a vehicle at km 26 of the M-608 highway, at the height of Manzanares El Real (Madrid). The emergency teams dispatched to the scene could not save him. The 61-year-old father of the deceased who was seriously injured in the accident was taken to the Puerta de Hierro hospital in Majadahonda.

·         June:  A German pilgrim aged about 50 years old was found dead in the middle of the street in Vilachán de Arriba (Negreira, La Coruña). The neighbours who treated him were unable to revive him and the paramedics that arrived in a helicopter certified his death as being due to a possible heart attack as a result of the strong heat wave that the area suffered on 7 June.

 Aaron Hewitt, and American pilgrim, collapsed and died outside Logroño on 11 June,

A 56-year-old German pilgrim who was following the Camino del Norte with his wife died on 9 June from drowning while bathing on the Langre beach (Ribamontán al Mar, Cantabria). His wife saw that he was asking for help and gave the alarm cry. She jumped into the water to help him, joined by some surfers who rescued both. Already on the beach the rescuers and the emergency services that came tried to revive the drowned man, but without success.

A 69-year-old German pilgrim who was on a pilgrimage with his daughter fainted while he was walking near La Faba (León), on a very narrow stretch of path. Some pilgrims who came behind him were unable to revive him and notified 112, who quickly dispatched a helicopter and a mobile UVI to the scene, but the health workers could only certify his death.

July:  49 year-old Andy Max Jensen aka Camino Ninja died of a heart attack in Leon.

Lander Segers, 48 Year-old father of two, left Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France on 7 July to hike to Compostela. The next day things went wrong. On social media, Lander announced on Friday evening that he had suffered sunstroke during his walk. He left the next day, but ended up in the hospital and died of organ failure a little later.

 September:  A 51-year-old North American pilgrim of Colombian origin who was walking the French Way, died suddenly at around 12:30 p.m. on September 6 in  the village of Morgade. Notified by the emergency services, they tried to revive the pilgrim, but they could not do anything to bring him back to life.

 December:  A pilgrim between 50 and 60 years old was found by residents of El Pito (Cudillero, Asturias) on December 4 fallen in the middle of the road, unconscious and bleeding from wounds on the forehead and nose. He carried a backpack and a wallet with a 'tablet'. Both the neighbours who attended him first, and the emergency services that later arrived, failed to revive him.

 

35 year-old pilgrim from Salamanca died of a heart attack near O Cebreiro (FICS – Facebook)

2021

May 21:    51 year old Spanish pilgrim , a native of Alicante He was found dead in the Santiago Apóstol hostel in Logroño (La Rioja), possibly the victim of a heart attack.

June 5  :   Miguel Ángel López de Egea Gallardo a 67-year-old pilgrim from Madrid, who was on pilgrimage in a group at the Lavacolla airport collapsed to the ground and died immediately of a heart attack on  2021.

November 21 :    Mariano Pascual , a veteran pilgrim from the Association of Lord Santiago de Calahorra, who was with a group from his association completing the stage of the Camino del Norte between Zarautz and Deva, when he suffered a heart attack and died immediately.

2020

(There were very few pilgrims in Europe due to Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions.  We have included the names of a few well-known people who lived on the Camino and served pilgrims in different ways)

 February 7, 2020:  The body was found by two walkers at the access to Castromiñán, in Finisterre (La Coruña) of an undocumented pilgrim of about 50 years old wearing hiking clothes, 

March 14, 2020 :  JRRR, a 50 year-old resident of O Carballino who was training between here and Santiago de Compostela for the Via de la Plata, was found dead in the Dozón area (Pontevedra). Victim of a heart attack.

 April 11, 2020:  José Mariscal, long time parish priest of Santa María de Carrión de los Condes (Palencia) who created the first pilgrim hostel in the town and was one of the founding partners of the Association of Palencia in 1987, died at age 91 in the priestly residence of Palencia from covid-19 complications.

April 8, 2020: Antonio Danoz , 90 year-old Redemptorist priest who, after being a missionary in Africa and South America. When he returned to Spain his superiors sent him to Astorga where he discovered the Camino de Santiago and the pilgrims, dedicating the last five years of his life with the 'Prayer at 7:00 p.m. in the hostel of the Association, died of covid-19 complications.

April 28, 2020: 78 year-old Margarita Vázquez de Parga Gutiérrez del Arroyo , a graduate in History and State archives died of covid-19 complications.  She was the daughter of the Jacobean historian Luis Vázquez de Parga and the archivist Consuelo Gutiérrez.

 September 1, 2020. A 62-year-old pilgrim was found dead after suffering a heart attack in a boarding house in Santiago after finishing his pilgrimage.

November 2, 2020:  81 year-old Alison Raju died suddenly on this day.  She was a British pilgrim, hospitalera, writer of more than 6 guidebooks on the ways to Santiago, Rome and the St Olav’s Way from Oslo to Trondheim.  For several years she was vice president of the London Confraternity of St James and editor for the Pilgrims to Rome newsletter.

2019

26 September - a pilgrim  died after suffering a heart attack in a shelter in Roncesvalles .

26 September - Tim Kelleher (35) from Slievereagh Ireland drowned in the sea  at Finisterre

25 August - Björn Hoffman , 42, a German pilgrim who was on the Portuguese Way 'guarding' a minor from a German social reintegration center, died on August 25, 2019 in the ICU of the Vigo hospital, His family and friends completed the pilgrimage for the deceased, arriving in Compostela and then in Finisterre on September 6.

7 August  -  Francisco Ontiveros , a  Jaen teacher,from Baños de la Encina,  died after taking ill on the Camino in La Rijoa. 

23 July - a pilgrim was found dead in the Hostal a Rua in Azofra

8 July 2019 - After walking the Caminho Spiritual in Portugal 59 year old Gerry Enright from Co Kerry Ireland was joined by his wife for a few days rest on the island of Cies off the coast of Vigo.  Sadly he passed away suddenly.

22 June - 62 year–old from Austria, Lothar Otto Hämmerle, died of a heart attack near Orisson

9 June -  Two Dutch women were hit by a car on the way out of Leon on 9 June. The 63 year-old  Nies Klem, died minutes later and the 67 year old was in a serious condition  

7 June - a 76 year-old German pilgrim was found dead at the Villafrua Railway station in Burgos.  

25 May - A 76 year-old pilgrim died of a heart attack just outside Bolivar 

23 May - A 76 year-old French pilgrim had a heart attack and died on the Camino Norte near Bolibar,

20 May - A 66 year-old pilgrim from London (only known as MF) died in Castro del Rio (Cordoba Province) on the Camino Mozarabe 

12 May - 56 year-old former councilman of San Roque (Cádiz) Manuel Saavedra Sojo collapsed and died whilst cycling on the Via De La Plata 

3 May - An American Pilgrim named James William Siedlecki, 63 of South Hampton New York passed away of a heart attackwhile on his 3rd Camino.  He was walking with his 24 year old son when he died near Pamplona 

30 April -  80 year-old retired priest, Erwin Bersch, died of a heart attack between Samos and Sarria

29 April - 61 year old Danish pilgrim, Grethe Saver, died overnight at the Albergue in Casar de Caceres

24 March -   A 67 year-old German woman was found unconscious on the road between Najera and Azofra died on the way to the health center in Najera

 

2018

 April 16 - A 71-year-old American pilgrim died of apparent natural causes in a shelter in Triacastela (Lugo) 

May 23  Jill Lorch, 66, passed away  as a result of a heart aneurysm while walking the Camino de Santiago pilgrim trail in Spain with her husband James 

June 6  - JREL, a 74-year-old French pilgrim cyclist, died On the Camino Frances after being hit by a car at km 10 of the P-403 highway in the municipality of Melgar de Yuso (Palencia)

June 28. José Carrasco (43 years old) and Nerea Aguirre (41 years old), a Gipuzkoan couple of cycling pilgrims died after being hit by a car at km 296 of the N-601 road (Matallana de Valmadrigal Leon  They were doing the pilgrimage with their son Orants (12 years old) who was only slightly injured.

July 14   A 60 year old native of Alcalá de Henares (Madrid), was found lifeless in the middle of the road near the sanctuary of the Virgen del Fresno (Salas, Asturias) on the Primitive Way 

July 25. A 20 year old Angolan pilgrim, who was bathing in the Miño River next to the Roman Bridge, disappeared in the waters.  His body was found by fire-fighters the next day 

August 5   Josef Scheffler, a 40-year-old German pilgrim, died just two kilometres from Cañaveral (Cáceres), due to heat stroke .

August 4   Fernando Luiz Righi de Oliveira, a 67-year-old Brazilian pilgrim was walking the Aragonese Way with another pilgrim. After his companion gave the alarm of his disappearance, his body was located lifeless in the area of ​​Izko (Navarra) 

August 19   A Brazilian pilgrim, walking alone on the Camino de San Salvador, was found lifeless in the vicinity of San Salvador de Buiza (León) by other pilgrims 

August 26   Antonio Josa Pérez, a 52-year-old Catalan pilgrim who was walking the Primitivo Way with his wife, died suddenly  while ascending the port of Palo (Allande, Asturias).

 Sept 4   An American pilgrim aged 71 who had a prior history of heart disease had a heart attack and died on the road near Burguete

Sept 6.   A Portuguese pilgrim from Porto died in O Castro on the Camino Sanabres  He became ill when in a cafe and although an ambulance was called the crew were unable to revive him. 

September 24    A 67 year-old German pilgrim on pilgrimage with his son, was found dead in his bed at the shelter in Nájera (La Rioja) on 

 October 7    John Smith, a 77 year old man from Salford became ill shortly after arriving at an albergue in Fonsagrada on the Camino Primitivo and although medical help was summoned he could not be revived and died. 

October 10    A 70 year-old German pilgrim was found dead (suspected heart attack) in his bunk in the albergue in Triacastela.

Nov 10.    A 43 year-old cyclist, born in the United Kingdom but of American nationality, collapsed and died on the N-135 road at the Alto de Ibaneta above Roncesvalles 

2017

A 21-year-old Polish pilgrim died at noon on Monday April 10, on the Camino Ingles after falling from a bridge over the Barcía river in the municipality of Carral (La Coruña).

Kevin John Ryan 64 year-old pilgrim from Johannesburg South Africa had a heart attack and died in hospital after arriving in Santiago on May 9.

A 73-year-old Argentine pilgrim who was on the Camino del Norte along with another countryman died a heart attack near Mount Jaizkibel, between Irun and San Sebastián on May 11

A 74-year-old French pilgrim died on the night of Thursday May 18, while sleeping in the parish shelter of Carrión de los Condes (Palencia).

Danny Sheehy, a 61-year-old Irish poet and pilgrim who was on the Portuguese sea route along with other pilgrims, died when his boat overturned at the mouth of the Miño River on June 14

WG, a 65-year-old German pilgrim who was on pilgrimage with his wife, died from heat stroke next to the source of Calvary and near Almadén de la Plata (Seville) July 4

John RS, a 56-year-old British pilgrim, was found at dawn floating in the waters of the O Coído beach in Muxía (La Coruña) August 21

A 48-year-old German pilgrim who died during the night was found lying face down on the side of the Burguete road (Navarra) on September 4

COC, a 62-year-old pilgrim from Madrid, died on in Lourenzá, between Gondán and A Tilleira on September 7

An American pilgrim , a 75-year-old California native who was on pilgrimage with his daughter and a boyfriend, died on Wednesday, at a hotel in O Cadavo (Baleira, Lugo) due to natural causes on September 20

2016

A 58 year-old pilgrim died after suffering a heart attack on April 10, 2016 on the descent from the

mountains of El Bierzo Leon.

Luis Roberto Villaciencio  a 58 year-old Canadian pilgrim of Bolivian origin died on the night of

April 16 to 17 in the municipal albergue in Burgos.

Drago Žnidar (or Žnider) from Slovenia died of a heart attack in Lorca on 18 April.

 

A 73 year-old Finnish pilgrim died 26 April after being hit by a car close to the hostel of Valença on the Portuguese route.  The man was part of a group of people from Finland, had just checked in at the pilgrim hostel

A middle aged pilgrim died 28 April as a result of a bicycle accident near Tricastella. 

Ron Duke, 66 year-old Australian pilgrim, had a fatal heart attack while sleeping peacefully on 29th April 2016 in Leon, having walked with Shirley from St Jean Pied de Port. Shirley finished the pilgrimage for both of them and received two Compostelas in Santiago.

A 71 year-old German pilgrim died on May 2, 2016 in the Pontevedra albergue of a heart attack.

Antoine Sanchez , a 62 year-old French pilgrim 62 years old, died on May 12, 2016 while resting 

in the A Guarda shelter (Pontevedra), due to cardiac arrest.

Mr Varszegi, 53 year-old Hungarian pilgrim died of a heart attack on 20 May,100 m after the

Orisson auberge on the first day of his pilgrimage.

Jose María Treviño Zunzunegui , 55 year old pilgrim from Madrid who walked from Saint-Jean-

Pied-de-Port in the company of his eldest son in thanksgiving for his firstborn having overcome a 

serious illness, died suddenly on June 20 in Burgos while resting.

Seamus McDonagh (60) died on 10 July of a heart attack hours after completing the two-week 

Camino Primitivo from Oviedo to Santiago.

Michael Cura 16 year old Welsh teenager from Swansea and his party were nearing the end of their

charity cycle trip to Santiago when he collapsed and died on 21 July in the Irago Mountains.

70-year-old British citizen died of heat stroke on 4 September on the Camino Via de La Plata after

spending the previous night in a hostel in Castilblanco de los Arroyos 

Michel Laurent a 70 year-old Belgian pilgrim died on Sunday September 4, 2016 in the vicinity of 

Almaden de la Plata (Sevilla), from heat stroke.

The body of Belgian pilgrim Jeroen Schelstraete was found in Leon 9 September.   He died of wounds inflicted by unknown persons.

Jim Ha Cho, 41 year-old South Korean, disappeared from the beach at Finisterre 12 September.  His body has not yet been found.

Patrick J. Ennis passed away in San Jose, Burgos on 15 September while walking the Camino de Santiago with a friend.

Juan Francisco, ‘Paco’, a 54 year-old Spanish pilgrim from Salamanca, walking his third Camino, died of fatal injuries on 4 November after falling down a ravine between Val Carlos and Roncesvalles

37 year-old Thomas Bellman from Germany was found dead in a ravine in the Saltacaballo area, a few kilometers before Castro Urdiales on the Camino Norte. 27 November

2015

Denise Thiem, an American pilgrim who went missing in April near Astorga, was found murdered in September.

Juan Carlos Lema Balsas 'Zapatones', pilgrim and Jacobean icon of the Compostela pilgrimage, 61 years old, died on May 14 in Pontevedra.

Hugh Wallace died in Santiago on 19 May after completing his pilgrimage

American pilgrim found dead near Izandorre, Val Carlos 20 May  

 

A French pilgrim, native of Besançon 74 years old, died between Lauzerte and Moissac on 21 May

A German pilgrim, 73 years old, died of a heart attack on June 2, 2015 in the Molinaseca albergue  (León)

 

67 year-old pilgrim resident of Lugo died when she was hit on the N-547 on 7 June passing through the town of Arca in the Coruña municipality of O Pino.

Marlen Bonilla Vargas - memorial at O Pedrouzo June 2015

A 36 year-old French pilgrim died on the way between Las Herrerias, before O Cebreiro, and La Faba, locality of the municipality of Vega de Valcarce on 21 June

 20 year-old Max Hilder from Germany drowned in the sea at Finisterre on 29 June

Rowland Ian Kitchen died of a heart attack on 15 September near Sarria whilst on his 8th Camino

Roger Chilcott , 67 year-old Town Councillor of Dartmouth died of heart failure on 3^rd October whilst  walking the El Camino de Santiago de Compostela trail for charity 

 
Dr. John Leonard Goodwin of Charlottetown, age 60 years. Died suddenly, in Castrojeriz on 5 October

 

The body of Adrian Ruiz Munuera, a native of Fuenlabrada was found after he went missing two days  earlier -22 October  - having completed his pilgrimage in Finisterre.

2014

Miguel Martinez Maestre (55 years) and José Lillo Huertas, Alicante pilgrims traveling north to begin the Way in Villatobas (Toledo) died on April 26, 2014, when their van rolled down an embankment.

A German pilgrim, 59, died in his bed of a heart attack on April 30, 2014 in the hostel Morgade (Lugo) 

An Irish pilgrim cyclist, 65 years old, died on April 12, 2014 near Hospital Condesa(Lugo) when he

fell off his bicycle.

Pilgrim British cyclist, 71 years old, died on September 1, 2014 in Carrion de los Condes (Palencia) of a heart attack.

Vicenta Beltran Arnández, 55 yeasr-old pilgrim cyclist from Valencia died on September 5, 2014 at the hospital in Barakaldo (Vizcaya) of a stroke.

Japanese Pilgrim, 52, was found dead on November 13, 2014 in a farm shed near San Juan de Ortega (Burgos).

2013

Jenaro Cebrián Franco, canon of the Cathedral of Santiago and director of the Pilgrim Office, 77 years old, died on January 1, 2012 in Santiago de Compostela victim of a heart attack.

Gilbert Janeri,  8 March 2003 , Brazilian pilgrim, 44-year-old, who was found dead in the Ozanzurieta close to Roncesvalles (Navarra), on March 22, 2013



 Wolscanc Albert Albrecht , German pilgrim 70, died suddenly on April 30, 2013 in the hostel Garrovillas (Cáceres)

Rev. Philip Wren 'Methodist Pilgrim' died May 2013 in Palencia on The Way.

Dario Bandera , Italian pilgrim 65 years of age, was found dead on May 23, 2013 in the mountains of Nobla as close to Undués of Lerda (Zaragoza), victim of a stroke.

Alvia train accident:  79 passengers died in the derailment in the vicinity of the station of Santiago de Compostela on the evening of July 24, 2013, on the eve of the feast of St. James

Manuel Dalmeda , volunteer hospitalero Najera, 62 years old, died suddenly on September 7, 2013 in Azofra (La Rioja) while visiting

Two German pilgrims: HR and LWG, 43 and 49 years old respectively, died on 20 September 2013 close to Pedrouzo (Arca, La Coruña) after being hit by a truck while walking along the shoulder of the N- 547

Dr Agnel Lobo (60 years) died in Triacastella on the 3rd of October 2013 of a heart attack.

2012

Sebastien Thomas, French pilgrim coming from Mont Saint Michel, died on March 3, 2012 in the course of his pilgrimage.

A 67 year old Italian cyclist died on April 24 in the vicinity of Fuente de Cantos (Badajoz), hit by a vehicle.

Joan Ramon Caparros Segui , Barcelona pilgrim who started in Seville, died suddenly on May 10, 2012 on entry to Santiago de Compostela.

Mark Byron Dennis, pilgrim of Michigan (USA), 53 years old, died on May 31 in the shelter of Burgos, in his sleep.

A British pilgrim 66 years old, died suddenly on July 24 in Ponferrada, while walking on the Sil River Bridge.

Freddy Heylen , Belgian cyclist pilgrim from Antwerp, died on July 31, 2012 in Villafranca

A pilgrim from Sabadell (Barcelona) , 64 years old, died suddenly on August 14 in the vicinity of Castaneda (Arzúa, La Coruña), due to a heart attack.

Eric Rudolf Selman , Dutch pilgrim coming from Oviedo, died on September 26, 2012 in Arzúa (La Coruña).

A 65 year old pilgrim Tarragona Ourense resident, died on September 11 in the vicinity of Lalin (Pontevedra), hit by a vehicle.

A 25 year old Belgian pilgrim was found dead on the morning of October 24, 2012 at the viewpoint of Monte del Gozo Santiago de Compostela.

2011

Pater Georg, Bremen German pilgrim who walked the Camino de Santiago to Compostela from Porto, 68, died the day after his arrival in a pension in Santiago on April 7, 2011.

Iohannes Schouten, Dutch pilgrim, 63 years old, died on April 11, 2011 in Pamplona

Angel Perez Salinas, Navarra pilgrim who came on foot from Saint Jean Pied de Port, died on April 24, 2011 unexpectedly in Palas de Rey.

Johanna Chmiel, Austrian pilgrim, died on May 10, 2011 without being able to complete the Camino in Santiago. 

Skov Arne Schmidt, Danish pilgrim 76, died of a heart attack about 100m after the passing ancient the Roman Bridge before Lorca.  In 2012 his widow and family members erected this iron cross in his memory.

José María del Arco, a pilgrim from Ciudad Rodrigo (Salamanca), died on June 17, 2011 in Astorga

Nicole Bigo, a pilgrim from France who began in Le Puy en Velay, died before reaching Santiago.

Herceg-Peterdi Reka, Hungarian pilgrim walking from Saint Jean Pied de Port died in Leon.

Cornelius Bernardus Ignatius – a winter, a pilgrim from Holland, died on September 7, 2011 in Ponferrada.

Franciscus Johannes Maria van Everardus Gijzel, Dutch cyclist pilgrim coming from the shrine of Santiago de Galder (Netherlands) died on October 12, 2011.

Constantine Ferrandis Campins , Mallorca pilgrim died unexpectedly before starting his pilgrimage, his teammates made the pilgrimage on his behalf and arrived in Santiago on October 18, 2011.

Maria del Pilar Hernandez Garnes, Castellón pilgrim began in Roncesvalles and reached  Logroño where she became ill and died shortly afterwards.

Miguel Rios Lamas,  49 year old died on 10/09/2011

2010

Anters Steffen , German pilgrim, 26, died on January 17, 2010 after being struck by a train near Sergude (La Coruna), between Vedra and Susanna, a few kilometers from Compostela.

Manuel Jimenez, a veteran pilgrim from Madrid, 78, died early Sunday in April 25th, 2010 of a heart attack at the exit of Navarrete (La Rioja) while doing the 'Valvanerada', 

Juan Bautista Prats i Catala 68, died of a heart attack in the night of 28 to 29 April 2010 while he slept in the village of Hontanas (Burgos).

Linus Gillis, 62 year old Canadian pilgrim started in Saint Jean Pied de Port, died on May 17, 2010 in Terradillos of the Templars (Palencia).

Enrique Luis Ferraro, 77 Canadian died in Cacabelos Municipal Albergue on May 20, 2010 walking his 5th Camino

Christiaan Adrianus Van Gol Jacqueline - 71 years old Dutch pilgrim making the journey by bicycle from his country, died on May 22, 2010 in Leon victim of cardiac arrest.

An Italian pilgrim, 31 years old, died on July 9, 2010 when he mounted Ibañeta (Navarra), due to heat stroke.

Carmelo Arnaiz Chaton, Spanish pilgrim, 68, died July 9 at the hostel of Avilés (Asturias) in his sleep of a heart attack.

Guilio Recusani, Italian pilgrim, aged 26, drowned on August 20, 2010 in Finisterre, after completing the pilgrimage to Compostela and continuing to Finisterre.

George Kollen, German pilgrim, 67 years old, died on the morning of October 16, 2010 between Portomarín and Sarria (Lugo), of a heart attack.

2009

Lucio Cardillo, Italian pilgrim, 70, died on May 26, 2009 in Burgos. His family continued the pilgrimage on his behalf.

CP, Italian cyclist pilgrim, 34, died in June 2009

Pedro Fernandez Fernandez, a veteran pilgrim and hospitalero, 60, who had to stop in May in the shelter of Samos when he fell ill and died on June 22, 2009 at a hospital in Leon.

Brants Manuel Reyes, 45 year-old veteran pilgrim and hospitalero from Madrid, died of a heart attack on August 21, 2001 while serving in the shelter in Nájera (La Rioja), 

Mönnigmann Josef Werner, German pilgrim Sassenberg, 60, died of a heart attack on September 9, 2009 in the shelter of Azofra (La Rioja).

Efferen Werner, German pilgrim died on September 13, 2009 in Foncebadón (Leon).

Alfons, Belgian pilgrim died of a heart attack on September 29, 2009 in the shelter of Mansilla de las Mulas (León).

Romain Floener, pilgrim from Luxembourg died in late September 2009 in Porriño (Pontevedra).

Gerhard Theodor Waber, 57 year-old German pilgrim from Augsburg died on December 1, 2009 at a hospital in Burgos

2008

Uberlinda Cortes 63 year-old on her second Camino died west of Rabanal

AG, Limoges French pilgrim, 60, died on May 6, 2008 near Mañeru (Navarra), of a heart attack.

Rodrigo Grossi, pilgrim veteran and President of Astur-Leonese Association of Friends of the Camino de Santiago (Oviedo), 74, died on May 18, 2008 near Tarrueza (Cantabria) of a heart attack while on North Road with their Association.

Paul Anthon Wharsop, pilgrim English cyclist, 60, died on May 30, 2008 between Valcarlos and the Ibañeta Pass (Navarra), of a heart attack.

Home Thomas Huete, Cuenca veteran pilgrim, 61, who was about to start in mid-July 2008 a new journey in Leon, when he died of a heart attack.

Francisco Javier Burgos Lizaldez , pilgrim of Zaragoza, 53, died on September 10, 2008 near Sangüesa (Navarra), of a heart attack.

Efferen Werner, German pilgrim died on September 13, 2008 in Foncebadón (Leon).

Jose Manuel Caudet Peris, a pilgrim of Valencia, 57, died of a heart attack on September 15, 2008 at the Cathedral of Santiago, as he climbed the steps to embrace the Saint.

Francisco Manuel Lopez Picasso, Malaga veteran pilgrim, 42, died on September 25, 2008 as he climbed the hill Mostelares.

Manuel Rodríguez Viña, pilgrim and hospitalero of Zaragoza, 55 years, while serving as a hospitalero in Arrés (Huesca) had to be rushed to hospital in Huesca, where he died on the night of 20 to 21 October 2008 of meningitis.

2007

Chris Phillips 51 - Scottish pilgrim left Saint Jean Pied de Port for Roncesvalles but did not arrive because of the snow. He was found the following day April 4, 2007 just 50m from the road and taken to a hospital in Pamplona, where he died of hypothermia.

Jean Bernard Andre Gros, 65 French pilgrim who walked the road with his wife, died on the afternoon of May 14, 2007 in Palas de Rei (Lugo), while resting at a hotel.

Kelly Tomas Murillo, a pilgrim of Costa Rica 61 years old, walked with his sister from Saint Jean Pied de Port, but died in May 2007 of a heart attack.

Fuhrmeister Lambert, 76 German pilgrim, was found dead on June 9, 2007 after passing Puente la Reina (Navarra),

Marcia Schiavon, Brazillian pilgrim passed  21th June 2007, in Boadilla del Camino, from heart attack in her sleep.

Gonzalo Bañolas Bolaños 46 – from Canary, died on June 26, 2007 in Burgos where he was about to start walking the Camino de Santiago.

Jesus Sanchez, pilgrim rider from Vitoria (Alava) who did the Camino with his son, was hit by a car on July 28, 2007 and died on 31 at a hospital in Orense.

Gilles Chanovin, 58 French pilgrim who came from Le Puy, died on August 7, 2007 early in the morning after being hit by a car on the slope of Pieros (Leon)

Andrés García Pelayo, pilgrim rider Algeciras (Cádiz), 41, died on September 5, 2007 after fainting while climbing to Cebreiro.

James Niergang , French pilgrim 63, died on the night of 15 to 16 October 2007 at the hostel of Nájera (La Rioja) in his sleep.

2006

Torremocha Carlos Lorenzo, 63 year old pilgrim and hospitalero veteran died on January 8, 2006 in Tres Cantos (Madrid) of a heart attack - just 15 kilometres after starting the road from his home in Madrid.

Christine Gall, French pilgrim who died after starting her pilgrimage to Saint Jean Pied de Port.

Vanhersecke Claude, French pilgrim died after starting his pilgrimage in Le Puy.

Benno Lignau, 69 year-old German pilgrim veteran started his fifth pilgrimage at Canfranc , died on the morning of June 17, 2006 at a hotel in Mansilla de las Mulas (León) in his sleep

Inigo Ibarrondo, pilgrim from Seville, 48, began the Via de la Plata in Seville and died of cardiac arrest at the end of its second stage, on August 4, 2006 at the hostel of Castilblanco de los Arroyos (Sevilla)

Santino Joseph Campo and Julian Manzano , 50 and 51, both friends and hospitaleros were killed on August 21, 2006 in Villada (Palencia) in a train accident , returning home from a pilgrimage to Santiago on the Camino Portuguese.

Higinio Aguado, Spanish pilgrim of 67 years of age, died on September 8 in Villafranca Montes de Oca (Burgos) after suffering a fainting spell.

A Pilgrim, 62 years old, died on September 9, 2006 after Castrogeriz (Burgos) as he climbed the height of Mostelares.

Rosa Maria Seia Amorim, a Portuguese pilgrim cyclist from Barcelos (Portugal), died on September 29, 2006 during the course of the last stage and close to Santiago.

Rosanna from Verona (2006) died just after Zuriain

2005

Francis Marsac , French pilgrim who came from Le Puy, died on May 16, 2005.

Zumsande Werner, a pilgrim who came from Saint Jean Pied de Port, died on May 24, 2005 in El Cebreiro (Lugo) after a heart attack.

Jean Marchandy, French cyclist died on June 1, 2005 in Tiebas (Navarra) hit by a vehicle.

Jose Manuel Llamazares Alvarez , 69 - Spanish pilgrim coming from Oviedo, died on July 1, 2005 in Santiago de Compostela after fulfilling his pilgrimage.

PG, French pilgrim of 65 years walking with his wife, died on September 15, 2005 in the shelter of Astorga (León) after a heart attack.

Ana Teresa Hernandez, Spanish pilgrim 19, died on September 18, 2005 in Gonzar (Lugo) due to arteriosclerosis.

Joseph Carty – 78 year-old Irish pilgrim died just outside Ponferrada at the  village of Campo.

2004

Franz Joseph Kokf, Belgian pilgrim 67, died on April 28, 2004 in Guendulaín (Navarra)  of a heart attack.

Bongardt W. Hubert , German cyclist pilgrim 66, died May 18 in the town of Moratinos (Palencia) - hit by a van.

Surda Anton, Slovak pilgrim, died on May 22, 2004 in Legarda (Navarra) - hit by a car.

Chápuli Alande Vicente , Valencia Pilgrim 35, died on July 24, 2004 in San Justo de la Vega (León) - hit by a vehicle.

Barttolo Revelatto, Italian cyclist pilgrim 61, died on August 14, 2004 in Ponferrada (Leon) in his sleep at his hotel.

Robert Edmond, Pilgrim 56, died on August 21, 2004 in Valverde de la Virgen (Leon) after a stroke.

Luis Hoyos, pilgrim rider Villaba (Navarra), 24, died on August 23, 2004 in Mansilla de las Mulas (León) - run over by a van.

Ramon Gonzalez de Mendoza Diego Villacé, pilgrim of Extremadura, died on April 21, 2004.

Bernhard Stefan Jüttner, German pilgrim 63, died on September 12, 2004 in the shelter of Sahagún (León) in his sleep.

An Italian Pilgrim with terminal cancer, died on Sept. 21 at the Cathedral of Santiago after fulfilling his pilgrimage.

2003

Myra Brennan (52 yrs) of Kilkenny and Sligo, Ireland, died in her sleep at the end of her second Camino in Santiago 24.06.2003

Francis J. Barte , French pilgrim and 59 Athos-Aspis, died March 5, 2003 near Valcarlos (Navarra).

Lukassen , Dutch cyclist pilgrim, died on June 7, 2003 climbing to Cebreiro (Lugo).

Gisèle Boulard died 21 June between Calzadilla de los Hermanillos and Reliegos.

Bertaco Giovanni , Italian pilgrim 73, died on August 12, 2003 in Camponaraya (Leon)

2002

A Brazilian Peregrino , 48 years old, disappeared on January 13, 2002 in the Pyrenees and found dead on January 23, 2002 by two pilgrims.

A French Pilgrim , 78 years old, disappeared on April 3, 2002 between Saint-Jean-Pied de Port and Roncesvalles and found dead a few days later by hikers near Ortzanzurieta (Navarra).

Marie Catherine Kimpton, Canadian pilgrim, died on June 2, 2002 in Villatuerta (Navarra) hit by a car. Her husband was injured.

(2024 update:  Sadly, the cairn that her late husband Harry built is now gone, but the plaque has been attached to a low stone wall when near the underpass on the way to Estella. )

 

A French Pilgrim, walking with his wife, died June 4 in Sarria (Lugo).

Klanke Ulbrich, German pilgrim 59, died on June 25, 2002.

Braum Henrietta, German pilgrim who was struck by a vehicle on June 25, 2002 and died June 27 in Pamplona (Navarra).

José María Huerta Otero, 25 pilgrim of Cadiz, died July 11, 2002 in the shelter of Rabanal del Camino (Leon) due to meningitis.

JRBF, pilgrim Lodosa (Navarra), 49, died on August 17, 2002 in the shelter of el Ganso (Leon).

A Canadian peregrina, 49, died in 2002 at the hostel of Sarria (Lugo).

Shingo Yamashita, a veteran Japanese pilgrim, 64-year-old was found dead on November 8, 2002 between Linzoaín and Zubiri (Navarra).

2001

Jorge Ferreira, 48 year-old Brazilian disappeared on 13 January 2001 in the Pyrenees and was found dead on 23 January 2001 by two pilgrims

Jouko Juhani Tyyri , Finnish pilgrim, died on May 9, 2001 at the pilgrim's hostel in Ponferrada (León) in his sleep.

2000

Francisco Juarez Arbeloa, from Leganes (Madrid), 59, died July 11, 2000 in Melide (La Coruna) of a heart attack.

A Spanish Pilgrim cyclist from Sabadell (Barcelona), cyclist, died near Ponferrada (León) hit by a vehicle.

Miguel Angel Rocino, born in Buenos Aires, died on 13-11-2000 aged 67.

1999

Libertad de Ramón , Enrique Lopez, Natividad Alonso and Carmen Navarro, bus pilgrims from the Diocese of Astorga,  died on May 23, 1999 in a bus accident.

Francisco Javier Fernandez Azcona , pilgrim Oteiza 34, Navarre, drowned in Finisterre on 27 March 1999 after completing his pilgrimage

Emilio Muñoz Guerrero, a pilgrim from San Sebastian de los Reyes (Madrid), died on May 4, 1999 while climbing the Alto de Erro (Navara).

Iñaki Esnal Murga , Spanish pilgrim who died on May 21, 1999 in Rabanal del Camino (Leon).

Melendo Bernedi Sabin, a pilgrim from Bilbao, 62, died on June 5, 1999 in Leon at the start of his pilgrimage.

Javier Mendez Biurrun, pilgrim of Tafalla (Navarra), died on June 22, 1999 at the hostel in Leon.

G. Clifford Noylan, pilgrim American cyclist, died on July 9 on the N-120 at the entrance of Navarrete (La Rioja) - he was run over by a truck.

Lionel Douhaud, French pilgrim, died on July 22, 1999 shortly before reaching Melide (La Coruña) he was hit by a van

1998

Manfred Kress , German cyclist pilgrim 60, died on June 9, 1998 at Camino Real Bercianos (Leon).

1996

Paul Rolf Bäcker , Dutch cyclist pilgrim, died on June 14, 1996 in the hostel Melide (La Coruna) of a heart attack.

1995

Nicolaas Adrianus Henricus Theeeuwes , Dutch cyclist pilgrim 54, died on July 12,

in Sahagún (León) hit by a car while returning to his country.

Jose Rodriguez Marcos, pilgrim rider 60 years, a native of Oviedo, died on July 25, 1995 between Palas de Rey and Monterroso (Lugo) following a heart attack.

1993

Mario Rafael Gonzalez , Spanish pilgrim, died on July 4, 1993 in Los Arcos (Navarre) hit by a vehicle.

Guillermo Watt , Swiss pilgrim died on August 25, 1993 in Salceda (La Coruña).

 Mariano Sanchez Covisa Car , Spanish pilgrim, died on September 24, 1993 in Cerceda (Arca, La Coruña).

Mariano Sanchez Covisa Carro,  Spanish pilgrim, died on September 24, 1993 in Cerceda (Arca, La Coruña).

1989

Charles Prosper Remmy , Strasbourg French cyclist pilgrim, a priest of 56 years, died on August 17, 1989 in the village of La Granja (Sarria, Lugo) from cardiac arrest.

1987

Heinrich Krause , German cyclist pilgrim 26, died Aug. 31, 1987 in El Acebo (Leon) in accident on his bicycle.

1986

Alice de Craemer , pilgrim Belgian cyclist, died July 1, 1986 in Navarrete (La Rioja) hit by a vehicle whilst on pilgrimage with her ​​husband who was injured.