Irish girl, 11, dies after plunging 65ft from hotel balcony while ‘parents were sleeping’ on Majorca family holiday
AN 11-YEAR-OLD Irish girl has died after plunging from the seventh floor of a Majorcan hotel where she was staying with her family.
The youngster’s relatives were said to be sleeping when she went out on the terrace and fell to her death in circumstances police were today investigating.
The tragedy occurred around 6.30am this morning at Club Mac, an all-inclusive three-star resort that specialises in families.
The hotel is located in the family resort of Puerto de Alcudia in the northeast of Majorca.
The young girl is understood to have fallen around 65ft and landed on the roof of a first-floor restaurant.
Local reports are suggesting the child fell by accident although the Civil Guard has not yet made any official comment.
One well-placed insider said: “The girl who died was one of three children.
“The family were due to return to Ireland today.
“The youngster’s parents were sleeping when she fell and had no idea what had happened until afterwards.”
Paramedics and other emergency responders tried without success to revive her but she was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy is expected to take place later today.
A regional emergency coordination centre has offered the youngster’s family trauma counsellors.
The family at the centre of the drama are believed to have been planning to return home later today.
A receptionist at Club Mac said this morning the resort was not commenting.
The tragedy comes only weeks after Irish physiotherapist Michael Grant died suddenly while on holiday in Maguluf.
The 45-year-old of Pinewood Avenue, Hillview in Waterford died of cardiac arrest while on a family trip to Spain.
Hundreds of people gathered in the Holy Family Church in Waterford on Saturday, July 13 to pay their respects to the popular father-of-four who did a huge amount of voluntary coaching with area sports clubs.
Poignantly, at his funeral his wife Leanne said that they went to the country an intact family and came home a “family of five.”
Leanne told mourners that she had spent close to a quarter of a century with Michael prior to his premature and unexpected passing.
She said that it sounded like “a lifetime” but was just “a blink of the eye.”
She described Michael as having been an exceptional father and husband who did “everything for his family” with the exception of DIY, joking that it was never his greatest strength.
Leanne said that Michael loved his family, his job, and helping others.
Leanne said that he was constantly sending voice messages, those of which could’ve been “a short message” and how his favourite place to be in the world was on the sidelines of a match.
She continued: “His favourite in recent years was the sidelines of a hurling or football match, either coaching or supporting, not only our children, but all the kids.
“His voice could be heard a mile away, we’ll miss that voice from the sidelines – well most of us will, maybe not the referees.”
Michael is survived by his wife Leanne, his children Kayleigh, Niamh, Shay and and Sofia, his parents Sam and Marie, his brothers and sisters and extended family.
His burial followed his funeral Mass at Kilbarry cemetery.