Balconing Death As ” Return Trip” Initiative Is Launched.
A 19-year-old British tourist has fallen 26 feet while trying to enter a Magaluf holiday apartment through the balcony at 3am in the latest case of ‘balconing’ to hurt young Brits abroad.
The incident reportedly took place at around 3.20 am on Punta Ballena street in the city of Magaluf, a popular British party spot on the Spanish Balearic island of Majorca.
According to police sources reported by local newspaper Diario de Mallorca, the teenager, whose name has not been revealed, “was drunk and under the effects of cocaine”, when he fell from eight metres (26 feet). Local media report he was “balconing” into a flat in the Complex building.
One of the witnesses called the emergency services and police officers from the municipality of Calvia went to the scene. They were reportedly surprised to find the tourist had been lucky to escape with his life, only suffering a broken ankle.
The victim had fallen into an internal courtyard of the building and was taken to the Son Espases hospital from there, local media report.
Spanish Civil Guard officers also went to the scene to start an investigation and find out how the events happened.
Local media report this is the second case of an injury from “balconing” (when tourists jump from one balcony to another) this year in Magaluf. On 31st May, an 18-year-old Swedish tourist was seriously injured after falling from a height of three metres (10 feet) in the resort.
Last season, six young people died after falling in Majorca and many were seriously injured. Most of the falls were caused by the consumption of alcohol, and the majority happened in Calvia, where Magaluf is located.
As this is a common problem among tourists visiting the city, the city council of Calvia launched a campaign in the UK called Return Trip two months ago. The campaign’s main target are people between 15 and 29 years old, especially from the United Kingdom and Ireland, in order to fight against drunk tourism.
The main message of Return Trip is understanding risks, knowing your limits and how mixing fun and alcohol could be dangerous. The campaign is focused on social media and pamphlets are given out to people visiting the municipality.