A holidaymaker visiting the Balearic island of Menorca has tragically died after his car plummeted into the sea while driving off a ferry.
Stunned onlookers reported that the vehicle “appeared to deviate” and tumbled off the side of the road by the ferry into the icy water. The unfortunate incident is now being probed by the police and the port authority to determine why the car failed to halt at the edge of the docks. The man was 67 years old, but his nationality has not yet been disclosed.
Divers retrieved his body from the water and attempted resuscitation for over half an hour, but to no avail. He was found in cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at the scene. Initially, there were concerns that two other individuals might have been in the car, but his booking ticket confirmed he was the only occupant.
The tragic accident occurred last night in the commercial port of Ciutadella in Menorca when the vehicle plunged into the sea just minutes after disembarking from the Margarita Salas de Baleària ferry.
The event took place around 9pm. The vehicle had departed normally from the Margarita Salas, which operates the route between Alcúdia and Barcelona, and the driver was in line to exit the port facilities.
However, for reasons currently unknown and under investigation, the car veered off the planned route and ended up falling into the water from the eastern dock of the Son Blanc breakwater. Several crew members of the ship immediately leapt into the sea to attempt to help.
The driver was trapped, and the emergency device was activated. However, they were unable to rescue him in time.
At 9.21pm, the SAMU 061 emergency service received the notice of the vehicle’s fall into the water and activated an advanced life support ambulance (known as mobile ICU), another basic life support ambulance and the doctor of the PAC of Ciutadella. The Menorca Firefighters also mobilised and managed to extract the driver from inside the car. They found him already in cardiorespiratory arrest.
Baleària has expressed regret over the fatal accident that claimed the life of this passenger.
Ports de les Illes, the public company that manages the facility, has confirmed that the ramps between the ship and the dock were in perfect condition.
The car was recovered by a crane and is now being examined to determine whether it had any faults or if its brakes had failed.