Lanzarote tourist tragedy as Irish mother is killed and her daughter seriously injured
Lanzarote tourist tragedy as Irish mother killed and her daughter seriously injured when off-road buggy plunges off rocks
- The pair fell about 20 feet after they lost control of their vehicle during the excursion
An Irish holidaymaker has died and her daughter was seriously injured after jumping off rocks in Lanzarote in their rented off-road buggy.
The pair fell about 20 meters after they lost control of their vehicle during a tourist excursion.
The elderly woman, aged 61 and confirmed as Irish by Spanish police, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The other victim, who was traveling on a South African passport, was rushed to Doctor Jose Molina Orosa Hospital in the island capital Arrecife with injuries, including head wounds.
She was reported to be in intensive care today, although the hospital has not yet made an official comment.
An Irish holidaymaker has died and her daughter was seriously injured after jumping off rocks in Lanzarote in their rented off-road buggy
The scene of the accident where the two were injured
Firefighters, police, civil defense workers and paramedics were among the emergency responders who rushed to the area Monday afternoon.
A helicopter was also sent to the scene, although firefighters were eventually able to take the survivor, who is believed to be in his mid-40s, on foot to a waiting ambulance.
Located between the whitewashed town of Teseguite and the village of Guatiza, the area where the tragedy took place features unique volcanic rock formations that attract visitors from all over the world.
The island’s Guardia Civil police are charged with an ongoing investigation into the incident.
According to a local report, police are investigating the possibility that the driver of the buggy, believed to be the older of the two women, plunged into the abyss after she lost control of her vehicle on a curve because she was speeding.
But a spokesman for Lanzarote’s Guardia Civil insisted: “It is too early at this stage to speculate on what might have caused the tragedy.
‘The research is still at a very early stage.’
A Civil Guard source added: “A 61-year-old Irish woman was killed in the tragedy and her daughter, who was traveling on a South African passport, was seriously injured and taken to hospital.
“They traveled on the buggy as part of an organized excursion.”