Ibiza Rocks Hotel issues major update on safety changes after tragic deaths of two Scots who plunged from balconies
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
A PARTY resort in Ibiza could raise the height of their balconies after deaths of two young Scots in a fortnight.
Ibiza Rocks Hotel chiefs have vowed to carry out improvements following the fatal falls of ice hockey star Gary Kelly, 19, from Dundee and 26-year-old Evan Thomson from Aberdeen.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
3
Evan Thomson from Aberdeen tragically lost his life in the accident
3
Gary Kelly tragically lost his life in a fall from a third floor balcony
3
Ibiza Rocks Hotel in San Antonio
Credit: Darren Fletcher
San Antonia Mayor Marcos Serra and two leading councillors including head of tourism Miguel Tur said after the meeting they had urged the hotel to 'reinforce existing protocols' and 'adopt stricter safety measures'.
Town hall sources subsequently confirmed the hotel had indicated it was willing to raise the height of balcony railings at the four-star establishment, although it insisted they already met legal requirements.
They also indicated the hotel's British owners had pledged to reinforce security with more staff.
Ibiza Rocks announced it was 'pausing' its music events following Gary's July 21 death although it has now resumed its normal programme.
In a new statement it confirmed: 'We've taken the opportunity to review the strong safety measures already in place across the hotel and look at where we can go further.
'As we always have, we continue to work with independent inspectors, external experts and listen to feedback from our team, guests and the wider community to keep improving and strengthening our approach.'
It added: 'We're also being clearer about our expectations around respectful behaviour and personal responsibility.
'A safe and positive environment is something we all contribute to, so we're encouraging all guests to look out for their friends, trust their instincts and speak to a member of the team if they need help.'
Gary became the fourth holidaymaker to die at the hotel since April 27 when he plunged from a third-floor nine days ago in an incident which police categorised as an accident.
Evan's Thomson's family raised questions about safety at Ibiza Rocks and blasted the hotel over the way his July 7 death was handled, with his sister Teila claiming afterwards: 'Once it did happen, the hotel's response was just completely heartbreaking; almost as if it never happened.'
Inside the abandoned wreck of Ibiza's first super club
A 19-year-old Italian tourist of Turkish origin plunged to her death on April 27 from a fourth-floor at the hotel.
And on April 30, a 33-year-old British woman died in her room at the adults-only hotel after going into cardiac arrest.
None of the deaths are being treated as suspicious.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
Devastated widow of husband killed at work calls for major changes to prevent further tragedies
Catriona Lockhart's husband Clive Hendry tragically died when he drowned in a horror industrial incident The devastated widow of a Scots fish farm worker who was killed on the job is calling for more serious consequences for companies who fail to protect their employees. Catriona Lockhart's husband Clive Hendry tragically died when he drowned in a horror industrial incident. The 58-year-old was crushed between a boat and a floating pontoon before slipping into the water during a 'touch and go' transfer at salmon giant Mowi's Ardintoul site in the North West Highlands in February 2020. The company was fined £800,000 after being found to have breached health and safety laws. However, Catriona says that firms should face criminal charges if they fail to keep their staff safe. Speaking to the Record, she said: 'Small fines mean nothing to multi-million pound companies. There has never been any prosecutions of employers in Scotland whose failings have led to the tragic deaths of their workers. 'They need to face the full force of the law and they should face prison if they are held accountable for deaths.' Shocking statistics showed that during 2024/25, 26 people in Scotland died due to workplace accidents, which is one in every 100,000 workers. This was an increase from 18 the previous year. Construction, agriculture, forestry and transport industries saw the most tragedies due to falls from height, being struck by moving objects or collapsing equipment. The latest UK-wide data showed men accounted for 95% of all fatalities, while 40% of all incidents involved people over the age of 60. Now, 58, Catriona says major change is needed to prevent further tragedies as she said 'no one should go to work and not return home'. Catriona added: 'Still to this day I never got proper justice for Clive. Real justice would be allowing families to have their day in court, letting the public hear exactly what failings occurred and who was responsible. 'A company can just plead guilty and take a fine. How is that justice?' Catriona says she is reminded of Clive's death every day. The couple were together for 28 years and shared a croft in a village near to Loch Alsh where Clive tragically died. She said: 'You never think your partner is going to go to work and not return home. No one should ever have to go through what I did. But the sad reality is it will happen again. 'Health and safety in Scotland is terrible and these deaths will keep re-occurring. 'Every day I'm reminded of Clive and his death. I still see the boat that killed him out on the water.' David Bell, senior associate at law firm Irwin Mitchell who specialises in fatal accident claims, said: 'To see the fatal workplace rate increase so sharply over seven months is truly alarming. 'The HSE data is really useful and contributes to making various sectors safer but ultimately it falls to employers as all too often fatal workplace accidents are the result of negligence when corners have been cut on PPE, safe working processes or completing risk assessments. 'I urge officials to review what could be done to guarantee safety compliance at the beginning of tasks rather than review safety procedures in hindsight – I believe tougher penalties on those who fail to follow basic life-saving guidance would also be beneficial. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! 'Because the real tragedy is these 26 Scottish incidents represent 26 families, each now without a loved one and facing a painful and uncertain future. 'No one deserves to go to work feeling that they or their loved one may not return home.'
South Wales Argus
6 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Disbelief over Glastonbury words offence when more problems around
No IDF was killed by these words, but in return, the IDF are murdering starving children in an act of genocide and committing daily war crimes. Those same people are not shocked and offended but are even willing to defend the incisive words echoed by Lucy Connolly, who has a history of writing vile, violent words on social media. When I see people holding placards in Epping outside migrant hotels, saying protect our children. It should realise more than 1,500 registered sex offenders are living in Essex, new figures reveal. Ministry of Justice figures show 1,596 registered sex offenders were being managed under MAPPA in the Essex Police area as of March this year. That is a rate of 99 offenders for every 100,000 people, well below the average for England and Wales, of 119. Police forces, probation services and other government agencies keep tabs on dangerous criminals living in communities in England and Wales using special management plans known as Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements. These 1,500 registered sex offenders are mostly British and locals, so where are those so-called worried parents demonstrating against that? In fact, the locals have been motivated by the far-right, just as they did in Southport, to create unrest and riots. Face fact, those police officers outside any hotel are on overtime and should be arresting criminals. Haven't these demonstrators got jobs, with all their free time? Many thanks, Andrew Nutt, Bargoed.
South Wales Argus
7 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Drink-drive deaths up 7% in a decade
Department for Transport statistics reveal an estimated 260 people died in crashes in 2023 in which a driver was over the alcohol limit. That represented a 14% reduction on the previous 12 months, but a 7% increase from 2013. Some 16% of road deaths in 2023 involved drink-driving. Nicholas Lyes, director of policy and standards at road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, said: 'Drink-driving can have devastating consequences. 'While the latest drink-drive related fatality figures have declined on the previous year, the trend over the past decade is troubling and shows that we are stuck in a dangerous rut. 'We must redouble our efforts on enforcement, providing the police with the necessary tools to clamp down on drink-drivers while reviewing our approach to both first time and repeat offenders.' The drink-drive limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 80mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood. Nowhere else in Europe has a limit above 50mg/100ml. The Scottish Government reduced its limit to that level in 2014. A Department for Transport spokesperson said: 'Every death on our roads is a tragedy and the safety of our roads is an absolute priority for this Government. 'Our well-established Think! campaign is designed to reduce the number of those killed and injured on our roads. 'More needs to be done in this space, which is why we are committed to delivering a new road safety strategy – the first in over a decade and will set out next steps in due course.' Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency statistics previously obtained by the PA news agency revealed 27,837 British motorists were convicted of drink-driving multiple times in the 11 years to July 20 2024. Some 372 were caught at least four times, including four who were prosecuted on seven occasions.
