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Madrid – Tourists dead or seriously injured after jumping from their balcony: the "balconying" is wreaking havoc again in the Balearic Islands, warns a specialist doctor of the subject.
After two years of retreat following prevention campaigns, this phenomenon is back in force in the Spanish archipelago, according to Juan José Segura, surgeon at Son Espases Hospital in Palma de Mallorca, capital of the Balearic Islands.
The " balconying " refers to the fact that tourists, especially British or Irish and often very alcoholic or drug addicts, to jump from the balcony of their hotel to try to dive in the pool or win another balcony.
This very dangerous practice often comes with challenges that these tourists embark on a festive holiday in the archipelago.
At least six cases of victims of " balconying " arrived at Dr. Segura's hospital since the beginning of the year, involving British, Irish and French, he says. Three died and others were seriously injured, paralyzed for some.
This is already more than in 2016 and 2017 combined, where the hospital had identified six cases in total, none of which was fatal.
– Outbreak of falls –
" It seems that this year is not going to be like the previous ones and that we will return to the original trend of the years 2010-2015, with 10 to 15 cases each summer ", affirms to AFP Juan Jose Segura, author of a study on" balconying ".
His figures relate only to his hospital, which may suggest that other cases occur in the rest of the archipelago. The police and the regional government are not able to give an overall figure of cases of " balconying " this year.
In the archipelago, just this week, three people fell from a balcony. The police are investigating these cases, which may not all be related to " balconying ".
On Wednesday, a 14-year-old Irishman fell dead from the balcony of a hotel where he was staying with his mother in Mallorca, Civil Guard said. It seems he " was playing on the balcony " and fell, said a spokesman.
The same day, on the island of Ibiza, a young man in his twenties fell from a balcony under unknown circumstances. He is hospitalized in a serious condition. According to British media reports, it would be a London city councilor.
And on Friday, on the island of Formentera, the emergency services took charge of another man in his twenties who had fallen from a balcony.
– 'In the prime of life' –
The study of Juan José Segura, conducted over the period 2010-2015, identified 46 patients treated in his hospital after a " balconying ] ". More than 60% were British, far ahead of the Germans and Spaniards.
The fall is on average eight meters high, and all but one patient were men, aged 24 on average.
" See a young person, who has absolutely no problem, in the prime of life, with a thousand projects, all life before her, dying or becoming totally unable to do anything for the rest of his life, it's really dramatic "says Dr. Segura.
The doctor participated in awareness campaigns in Britain and in partnership with the United Kingdom Embbady in Spain. Local authorities are also trying to counter the problem.
" Hoteliers distribute leaflets, warn people ," says Dr. Segura. Sometimes they place the young people they suspect may be " balconying " in rooms on the lower floors, he says.
And the town hall of Calvia, where is located the seaside resort of Magaluf, reputed as the capital of " ethyl tourism ", also took measures.
Attempting to jump from one balcony to another is punished by a fine, the sale of alcohol in commerce is prohibited after a certain time and organized visits consisting of a tour of bars were also prohibited.
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