Ibiza Rocks Brit's death sparks blame war in holiday resort after fourth tragedy
A popular party hotel known for hosting Brits abroad has been plunged into the centre of a political war following the death of an ice hockey star.
Ibiza Rocks hit headlines after sportsman Gary Kelly, 19, from Scotland, plummeted to his death after falling off a balcony at the resort on Monday. He has been named as the fourth person to die at the resort since April 27. The four-star hotel have since paused their events programme in response to the incident. A spokesperson for the Ibiza Rocks Hotel said: 'We are deeply shocked and devastated by the recent incidents that have tragically occurred.
"Our priority is to support those affected and their loved ones during this incredibly difficult time, and to fully assist the authorities with their investigations. The safety and wellbeing of our guests has, and always will remain, our highest priority.'
The recent deaths have sparked outrage from socialist politicans in the area. They have accused the conservative Popular Party of prioritising the interests of those 'who benefit from the lack of control'.
And PSOE opposition politicians say they want the Tourism Minister Jaume Bauza to visit the resort so he can see 'first-hand' the type of situation they say politicians in charge of the resort are facilitating. The tragedy occurred just two weeks after 26-year-old Evan Thomson, from Aberdeen, fell to his death from the same hotel in an incident which led to his family and friends criticising safety precautions at the venue.
A 19-year-old Italian tourist of Turkish origin plunged to her death on April 27 from a fourth-floor at the hotel, owned by the Ibiza Rocks Group which is led by the British founders of island super club Manumission. On April 30, a British woman, aged 33, died in her room at the adults-only hotel after going into cardiac arrest.
There is no suggestion that the hotel is to blame for any of the four deaths that have occurred on the premises since the end of April at this time. But the PSOE party, which governs nationally as part of a coalition but leads the opposition both in San Antonio and in the Balearic Islands region, issued a hard-hitting statement following on from the tragedy.
The party's statement said: 'The PSOE of San Antonio publicly denounces the worrying increase of tourism of excesses in the municipality during the two years of Marga Prohens' Partido Popular Balearic Islands Government with the direct complicity of San Antonio mayor, Marcos Serra, and Vicent Mari's Ibiza island council. It also demands urgent measures to stop the deterioration in co-existence, security and image.
"The PSOE regrets the death of yet another tourist and with the lack of direction the municipality is suffering, again asks the mayor to convene round-table talks to work on the change of tourism model we need.'
It added: 'What we are experiencing today is the confirmation of a deliberate policy of permissiveness on the part of the Partido Popular, which puts the interests of those who benefit from the lack of control before the well-being of citizens. The PSOE denounces that the Balearic PP government has chosen to protect excesses and progressively dismantle the tools of control.'
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