Two men lost their lives while on holiday after plunging approximately 20 feet when a wooden handrail gave way on a hotel balcony at a Canary Islands apartment complex, an inquest has heard. In October 2025, shopkeeper Darren Silcox, 56, from Cwmbran, Wales, and close family friend Nicholas Thomas, 54, also from Cwmbran, tumbled from the balcony in Lanzarote in the early hours of the morning. The pair fell into the atrium stairwell at the Galeon Playa Apartments in the resort town of Costa Teguise at 1:30am following a night out.
Fatal injuries and treatment
Father-of-two Mr Silcox tragically passed away just two hours after the fall. Mr Thomas was flown back to Britain for medical treatment and subsequently transferred to University Hospital in Llandough, where he sadly died nearly ten months later on July 10. A prior inquest into Mr Silcox's death established that he succumbed to traumatic brain injury, skull fractures and skull lacerations.
Investigation into the collapse
Spain's Civil Guard has since launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, with the police inquiry focusing on whether poor maintenance or inadequate safety measures played a role in the fatal accident. Emergency services were called to the scene at around 1:30am following the fall, with medical teams confirming the 56 year old had succumbed to his injuries.
Inquest details
Opening an inquest into shop manager Mr Thomas' death, Gwent coroner Rose Farmer stated that he fell between 15ft and 22ft after a wooden bannister collapsed. He was initially treated at Doctor Jose Molina Orosa Hospital on the island before being flown back to the UK at the end of November. The hearing was subsequently adjourned until 14 April next year, when a combined inquest is anticipated to take place.
