The 31-year-old Dutch national who died after leaping from a cliff at the Malgrats Islands in Majorca did not die from the impact against the rocks. The autopsy, conducted on Friday morning by the Palma Institute of Forensic Medicine, confirmed that drowning rather than blunt trauma was the primary cause of death. Water in the lungs indicated he breathed in sea water during the fall and subsequent unconsciousness, suggesting the fatal sequence began with the fall and not solely with the rocks or height.
According to the forensic report, the victim entered the sea while still conscious after the violent plunge, but succumbed while submerged. The injuries to the arm and hip were noted, yet they were not fatal. The findings emphasize that the fatal event was the drowning that followed the initial impact rather than a fatal blow from the rocks alone. The body was recovered from the sea and subsequently examined to determine the exact cause of death. (Source: Palma Institute of Forensic Medicine)
The incident occurred shortly before 2:00 p.m. on Thursday at the Malgrats Islands marine reserve. A 31-year-old Dutch tourist arrived at the site by boat with a partner and their young son. Witnesses captured the moment on video, some of which was broadcast online as it happened. The footage shows the moment the climber reached the cliff edge, raised his arms, and launched himself into the void in what appeared to be an attempt to reach the sea below. The man misjudged the distance and struck the rocks with force, rebounding and then sinking beneath the surface.
Emergency responders were dispatched immediately. Civil Guard teams, a patrol boat, the Maritime Service, divers from the Special Underwater Activities Group (GEAS), and a ship from the Sea Rescue service all arrived at the scene to assist in securing the area and preserving the body for examination. The recovery was completed by divers working at a depth of about 15 meters. The autopsy confirmed that the individual had entered the water alive but died while unconscious at the bottom, likely due to drowning following the initial trauma.
Thursday proved to be a particularly tragic day in Mallorca. In the hours preceding this accident at Malgrats, a 34-year-old British tourist died after falling from the seventh floor of the South Beach Hotel in Magaluf. This marked the island’s first balcony-related fatality in 2022. The two fatalities together underscored the island’s vulnerability to dangerous falls in high-traffic tourist areas and highlighted the ongoing importance of safety measures for visitors engaging in elevated or exposed activities. (Source: local authorities and forensic report)