Two men died after falling roughly 20 feet when a wooden handrail collapsed on a hotel balcony at a Canary Islands apartment, an inquest has heard.
Incident details
In October 2025, shopkeeper Darren Silcox, 56, and family friend Nicholas Thomas, 54, both from Cwmbran in Wales, fell from the balcony in Lanzarote in the early hours of the morning.
They both fell into the atrium stairwell at the Galeon Playa Apartments in the resort town of Costa Teguise at 1.30am after a night out. Father-of-two Mr Silcox died two hours after the fall, reports WalesOnline.
Mr Thomas flew back to Britain for treatment and was then transferred to University Hospital in Llandough but died nearly ten months later on July 10.
Investigation
Spain's Civil Guard has launched a probe into the circumstances surrounding the incident. The focus of the police inquiry is whether poor maintenance or inadequate safety measures contributed to the fatal accident.
Emergency services were alerted to the scene at around 1.30am after the two men fell. Medical teams who arrived at the scene confirmed that the 56-year-old man had died from his injuries sustained in the fall.
Inquest proceedings
Opening an inquest into shop manager Mr Thomas' death, Gwent coroner Rose Farmer said he fell between 15ft and 22ft after a wooden bannister collapsed.
He was taken to Doctor Jose Molina Orosa Hospital on the island for initial treatment before he was flown back to the UK at the end of November.
An earlier inquest into the death of Mr Silcox heard he died from traumatic brain injury, skull fractures and skull lacerations.
The proceedings were adjourned until April 14 next year when a joint inquest is expected to be held.
