Easter blow out

A 27-year-old German waiter has died and police fear his German colleague is missing after being swept into the sea in Cala Figuera in the early hours of yesterday morning as gale force winds and driving rain battered the Balearics. The dead man, Deni Wegnerte finished work at 1am and wanted to have a close look at the storm. Despite warnings from their boss, the two men headed for the coast but were hit by a huge wave. The waiter's body was found early yesterday afternoon by a local resident floating in Cala Figuera harbour but police are concerned for the whereabouts of his workmate, 21-year-old Suen Simmerman. The gale force winds have left the Balearics virtually isolated for the past two days with only the airport just about managing to operate as normal, although some flights were diverted, while all sea ports were closed. The high winds brought down trees across the region and caused substantial damage to properties. It was not until yesterday morning that shipping companies were able to resume operating, although most ferry crossings suffered lengthy delays while a few were cancelled at the last minute. Crossings between Majorca and Minorca were touch-and-go with just one crossing made. The ferry service from Cuitadella to Barcelona was suspended until Sunday and the high seas yesterday left an estimated 2'000 ferry passengers bound for Palma and Minorca stranded in Barcelona. The port of Ibiza was closed for 18 hours on Thursday with all ferry service cancelled. A number of flights bound for Ibiza, including three from Germany, were forced to divert to Palma. The Balearics is the only region of Spain still on storm alert according to the Civil protection department and most people who had been hoping to make the most of the Easter break, were left huddled indoors. British holidaymakers calling home were being told about the glorious weather in the UK. Fire brigades across the region have been on stand by and have spent the past 48 hours clearing roads and fallen trees, especially around Palma and in Calvia where a number of pine trees were blown down.