Palma police have launched an investigation after a 20-year-old tourist fell to his death at a hotel in Playa de Palma (Arenal and Can Pastilla). The incident happened at about 8.15a.m. this morning and the police and emergency services were called.
Tourist falls to his death at hotel in Playa de Palma
Second balcony fall fatality in two weeks
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Stephen GrimmerI have often thought in the past that the Balconys are not safe enough. It is time for the Hoteliers to take a very serious Survey of their Balcony Saftey. Especially where they climb between Balconys. Plus those positioned over Swimming Pool areas. PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURR. Prevent the possibility that these idiots can attempt any total madness and complete death falls.
Stephen GrimmerAll fair points but it's a fine line between misadventure and intent to jump. Probably we'll never know as the only one who would know is gone. Changing railings is possible but there seems to be a challenge going around which is to jump over the railings into the hotel's pool below from the balcony of a room. It's a cool badge to wear in your peer group if you can do it and live, apparently. Taking the thought from "if you drink, never drive" maybe the hoteliers could run "if you drink, never jump." The root of all this is back at home. Groups of teens/early 20s going on holiday together goading each other into challenges and dares is only ever going to end in disaster so if parents could be persuaded to inform their offspring that such trips are not a good idea, that would help.
TBF these last two seem to be simple accidental falls whilst drunk, so not purposeful misadventure. Maybe higher balcony railings (chest, not waist height) and solid or vertical bars, not horizontal like ladders (as now forbidden on ships) would be a good start in preventing a significant number of these incidents. People WILL drink in holiday, and in a warm climate, WILL sit out on balconies at night, and at home most people live in low-rise houses and don't have such access from their bedrooms.
"Balconing." The poor parents who will never see their son alive again. He's not coming home. Excessive drinking, the freedom of a hotel room, challenges possibly from friends and 3am are the ingredients for a needless death. Locals think we're absolutely mad. The island offers sun, sea and relaxation and all some tourists want to do is to defy gravity and leap into the abyss. One idea to stop this might be to cover hotels' pools at night with tarpaulin so they look less appealing to jump into.