Balconing medical study

SO worried are doctors in the San Espases Hospital in Palma Mallorca about the number of young people jumping from balconies that the head of surgery there Xavier Gonzalez has undertaken a study of the ‘balconing’ phenomena.

The study of these ‘accidents’ which have taken place between 2010 and 2015 only takes into account those who were treated in the hospital which has a major trauma centre and does not include any details of those who died whilst falling off high buildings although fatalities are estimated to be at least a dozen in the same time span.

According to his research, the hospital has admitted 46 injured people, of whom 45 were male and of those 60 per cent were British with the balance being mainly German and Spanish who had an average age of 24.

In almost every case, the person falling had been drinking alcohol and nearly half of those treated had also taken drugs.

According to the surgeon, the cost of treatment of these 46 people has cost €1.5 million and whilst many do recover, a number can be in treatment for a very long time and can even end up permanently crippled.

So worried are local hotels about the problems this craze has brought about, Dr Gonzalez says that when they see groups of young men arrive to check in, they try to put them in rooms as near the ground floor as possible whilst local authorities and the Foreign Office have issued leaflets warning against the dangers of this stupid craze.

Other parts of Spain and indeed Europe do have troubles with youngsters jumping from balconies, but Mallorca in general and Magaluf in particular sees the highest number of injuries.