Student, 19, falls to her death after 'suffering a panic attack' and 'unbuckling her seatbelt' while parasailing during holiday to Montenegro
A student has fallen to her death after she unclipped her safety belt while parasailing.
Tijana Radonjic, 19, was on holiday in Budva, Montenegro, when she plunged into the Adriatic Sea after flying at a height of 50 metres.
Despite emergency services rushing to find her, they confirmed she was dead last Wednesday.
Footage of Ms Radnjic, from Novi Sad, Serbia, has been shared online that shows her distressed in her parasailing seat.
She tries to pull herself up on the two straps on the side but then unbuckles the seatbelt and jacket.
The teen then twists around in her seat before tipping upside down and falls through the leg braces.
Horrified spectators on the beach are said to have heard Tijana screaming just moments before the fall: 'Put me down! Put me down!'.
Local outlet Republika said others heard her shout 'help me'.
The circumstances around her death remain unclear, with some local news outlets reporting that she had been filming a promotional video for a local tourist agency.
Ms Radonjic had allegedly agreed to a free parasailing ride in exchange for the video to 'boost business with tourists for the summer holiday season'.
The film was supposed to show Ms Radonkic in a bikini soaring happily over the Budva Riviera on a parasail being towed by a speed boat, it was reported in NewsFlash.
Witnesses told local media she looked happy and relaxed as she was buckled in and told how to sit in the safety harness.
But Republika have reported that she may have suffered a 'panic attack'.
Another outlet has said suicide has not been ruled out, but loved ones said they do not believe she would have taken her own life.
The teen's parents, Branka and Goran, shared a heartbreaking farewell ahead of her funeral today: 'We will never come to terms with this, nor accept that you are gone.
'You will remain in our hearts forever. Our bravest we love you endlessly and will be missed forever.
'Rest in peace and may the angels watch over you. Now you are one of them.'
Police are investigating the death but the owner of the operating tour company said she appeared happy before the activity: 'She was cheerful and in a good mood before the flight. She showed no fear of heights or flying.
'Before we set off, she waved to her friends on the beach and they waved back. Everything seemed fine.
'We don't know why she unbuckled her seat belt and harness and jumped out.
'I guess she didn't do it consciously, but in a moment of uncontrollable fear.'
He added:
'I am sorry for the death of the young girl. I hope to meet her parents to express my condolences in person.
'We are all in shock after the accident that happened.'
The tour company suspects she got scared because she thought something was wrong with the equipment, adding: 'Maybe she wasn't aware of the height she was flying at.'
They added: 'I do not know exactly what happened. She did not show any fear of flying, she underwent training, after which the tragedy followed.
'Technical inspections of all the equipment are underway, and the results of the autopsy are awaited.'
Republika reported that she had been on holiday with her aunt when she passed away.
She posted in a moving tribute online: 'I can't believe I'm writing this.
'We should now be thinking about what bathing suits to bring, where to drink coffee while the baby sleeps, what song to sing in the car.
'We should have enjoyed the sun and you said to me: "go, rest, I'll take care of the baby now."
'We should have celebrated graduation, not sent you off.
'I can still hear your laugh. I can still see how you hold my son and how you talk to him, how you laugh while he laughs.'
Her friends in her hometown paid tribute to the victim, with one lifelong pal saying: 'If I could choose who to spend my childhood with, I would choose you again.'
Another friend posted: 'She was full of life, always smiling. She never cared about what others thought of her.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Revealed: The gorgeous and underrated European island with hardly any tourists
A new study has revealed the least crowded islands in Europe where tourists won't be fighting for space. And Malta is officially the most crowded of Europe's islands with 38,700 overnight stays per km2. Spain 's islands are next on the list with Lanzarote the most crowded (21,673 overnight stays per km2) and Ibiza and Formentera next (17,183 overnight stays per km2). Tenerife and Gran Canaria also rank among the most crowded island destinations in Europe. But where can tourists escape the crowds? According to the research, from the team at Svalbard is Europe's least crowded island, with just 2.4 tourists to every km2. The archipelago, located between northern Norway and the North Pole, is pretty remote so its lack of crowds isn't a complete surprise. But next on the list is the gorgeous Aland archipelago, an autonomous territory under Finnish sovereignty. It has just 269 overnight stays to every km2. Aland is made up of around 6,500 islands off Finland's southwestern coast and just 60 of those are inhabited. Visit Finland recommends that tourists start their visit to Aland in Mariehamn, dubbed the 'world's smallest metropolis', by local residents. The tourist board explains: 'Mariehamn's wooden houses and green parks provide a great setting for a small-town holiday or a starting point for a tour of the Aland islands.' The archipelago's capital, Mariehamn has a Maritime Museum, an art gallery and independent cafes and restaurants. From Mariehamn, tourists can head out on a boat trip to go island hopping through the archipelago. Visit Finland reveals: 'When paddling in the waters between the islands, it's possible to spend an entire day without encountering anyone besides the occasional seal and - if you're lucky - a white-tailed eagle.' To reach the Aland archipelago from the UK, tourists can fly to Helsinki and then catch a ferry to Mariehamn. And while Aland might not be the warmest summer destination, temperatures can reach as high as 25C in July and August. If Finland doesn't appeal, the next quietest island in Europe is Gotland, a gorgeous spot off the coast of Sweden. Chios in Greece is next on the list, with just 353.81 tourists for every km2, far fewer than in popular Mykonos or Santorini. Evia is another quiet choice for those looking to escape the crowds in Greece this year, with 419 tourists for every km2. Meanwhile, Hydra, which is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece, is another place that's j ust as beautiful as Santorini - but much less crowded.
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
Spain launches another tax raid on British holidaymakers
Are you a holiday let owner affected by the Spanish government's new tax? Get in touch money@ Spain's socialist government is planning a tax raid on British holiday let-owners in the country. The ruling Spanish Socialist Workers' Party wants to charge 21pc VAT on stays of less than 30 days – more than double the rate paid by hotels. It comes as Madrid lawmakers take aim at foreign property investors as part of efforts to tackle high housing costs. Draft legislation put before the Spanish parliament would raise taxes on owners of short-term tourist rentals from the current rate of zero. The levy rate paid by hotels is just 10pc. Unveiling the new bill last month, housing minister Isabel Rodriguez said: 'Homes are for living in [...] the measures seek to guarantee the right to rental housing for families.' The proposed change is part of the same legal push to impose a 100pc purchase tax on the sale of Spanish property to non-European Union buyers and also includes higher taxes for second homes and vacant properties. Alex Radford, partner at Spain-based law firm English Solicitor & Abogado, said: 'The VAT has got more chance of being implemented than the 100pc tax on a property bought by a non-European.' He said that if approved, the bill would likely increase the cost of holidays and lead to fewer available holiday lets in Spain. 'We would envisage that the rental [market] is going to be slightly more expensive. If owners have to add 21pc VAT to the cost of a rental, then we would expect rentals to decrease and people will look at other countries.' 'It's still early days and we don't know what will get approved and what will not,' Mr Radford added. 'Britons are the number one enemy' Millions of Britons who visit and live in Spain face losing out because of the new laws, which will undergo scrutiny and potentially amendment before being voted on in the second half of this year. There were more than 260,000 British expats living in Spain at the last official count in 2020, while it received 1.6 million tourists from the UK – more than any other country – during the busy April period last year, according to the Spanish statistics agency. Robert Amsterdam, partner Amsterdam & Associates, a law firm that has campaigned against higher Spanish taxes, said: 'The Spanish government is diverting the attention of the Spanish people away from the government's behaviour and they're coming up with the British as enemy number one.' Most estimates place the number of British people who own property in Spain between 800,000 and one million. A figure for the number of British holiday let-owners in the country was not available. British non-residents bought 3,480 homes in Spain in the first half of 2024, making up 38pc of a total of 9,166 properties sold to non-resident non-EU buyers, according to the latest available figures from the General Council of Spanish Notaries and Spanish Property Insight. Growing anti-tourist sentiment in Spain has already seen cities like Malaga and Madrid capping new licences for holiday lets, while Barcelona will ban them completely by 2028. Spanish media reported in January that Barcelona's plans would cost €1.9bn (£1.6bn) and lose the city around 40,000 jobs, based on a report by consultancy PWC. The country's minority coalition government has defended a crackdown on foreign property investors and holiday let-owners as necessary to make more housing available for Spanish people. There is a deficit of 450,000 homes across Spain, according to a Bank of Spain report published this week. In popular tourist destinations like the Canary and Balearic Islands half the housing stock is either holiday lets for tourists or homes owned by foreigners, it said. Javier Peñate, a legal adviser to a holiday homeowners association in the Canary Islands, told Reuters: 'The sole objective is to put an end to these activities and leave [tourism] in the hands of hoteliers.' Short-term rentals in the province already pay 7pc VAT, as do hotels.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Tourists urged to avoid popular bar which 'charges customers 100 Euro for a beer'
Tourists have urged fellow holidaymakers to avoid a notorious bar in Greece that is 'charging €100' for a beer. DK Oyster claims it 'boasts an exceptional atmosphere with fantastic service, beautiful seaside view', however, its reviews say otherwise. But Brits have taken to Tripadvisor to warn against the business, which is located on the idyllic island of Mykonos. Just one week ago, a British man revealed how he was charged an eye-watering €100 (£84) for a lager, before bar staff attempted to haggle at the price. Detailing his experience, Nathan said: 'Asked for a seat in the sun and a drinks menu, he offered us 1 litre of lager for €100! 'Once we said no thanks he proceeded to drop the price but we didn't stick around, if you find yourself here, do yourself a favour and walk on to another bar as they don't try to rip you off and the atmosphere is much better. We ended up paying €7 [£6] each for a lager.' Another unhappy customer, named Sue, told how she and her group of friends were enticed in with the offer of free sunbeds, before ordering drinks without a menu. She explained: 'When we asked for the total, we were presented with a bill just under €400 [£337] for a handful of drinks. 'We were shocked to discover we were charged for more drinks than we had actually ordered, including the so-called 'free' one. Even soft drinks like Coca-Cola, we were told, were also €35 [£29] each.' TripAdvisor has even slapped a warning on the bar's official page, encouraging potential customers to carry out their own research first before visiting. It reads: 'Tripadvisor has been made aware of recent media reports or events concerning this property which may not be reflected in reviews found on this listing. 'Accordingly, you may wish to perform additional research for information about this property when making your travel plans.' A menu posted online shows the extreme pricing for beverages, with a glass of white wine Chardonnay costing €130 (£109). An Aperol will set you back €58 (£49), a Jack Daniel's €49 (£41), while a Pimm's is €58 (£49) by the glass. A receipt posted by one holidaymaker showed how they were charged a staggering €136 (£114) for two glasses of prosecco. The fresh complaints come after MailOnline visited the Mykonos restaurant last year and was hit with a fee of over €100 for a mouthful of crab, plus service. TripAdvisor has slapped a warning on the bar's official page, encouraging potential customers to carry out their own research first before visiting In response, however, the restaurant's owner Dimitrios Kalamaras insisted that his establishment had been 'unfairly traduced by a freeloader who wanted to eat for gratis and position herself as an influencer'. To determine which of these accounts was closer to the truth, MailOnline went undercover at the restaurant, posing as innocent holidaymakers who had wandered into the restaurant after spotting it by chance. Three years ago, following damaging publicity in the US media when two American tourists were charged €600 for two drinks and a portion of crab legs, the Greek government came down hard on the restaurant. The minister of tourism, Vassillis Kikilias instructed the Cyclades Regional Tourism Agency to investigate and they duly found several tax violations in the company's books, leading to a guilty plea and a fine of €31,000.
