Two British men died after the handrail on their hotel balcony gave way in Lanzarote, an inquest has heard. Darren Silcox, 56, and Nicholas Thomas, 54, both from Cwmbran, Wales, fell from a balcony at the Galeon Playa Apartments in Costa Teguise.
Fatal Fall in Early Hours
The incident occurred in October 2025 at around 1:30am, following a night out. The pair plunged into the atrium stairwell after a wooden bannister collapsed, falling between 15ft and 22ft.
Dad-of-two Darren Silcox died two hours after the fall from a traumatic brain injury, skull fractures and lacerations, a previous inquest revealed. Nicholas Thomas was flown back to the UK for treatment and was later moved to University Hospital in Llandough, where he died nearly 10 months later on July 10.
Investigation and Inquest
Spain's Civil Guard has launched an investigation into whether poor upkeep or insufficient safety measures contributed to the accident. Emergency crews arrived at the apartments around 1:30am, and medical teams confirmed the 56-year-old had died from his injuries.
Opening an inquest into Mr Thomas' death, Gwent coroner Rose Farmer stated the fall occurred when a wooden bannister collapsed. He was initially treated at Doctor Jose Molina Orosa Hospital in Lanzarote before being flown to the UK at the end of November.
A joint inquest for both men has been postponed until April 14 next year.
