A British tourist has died after falling down a three-storey stairwell at a hostel in north-east Spain, according to local reports. The victim has been named as 41-year-old Lee Jowitt from London.
Mr Jowitt died last Sunday (October 11) following the incident in Tarragona, Catalonia. He fell from a height of around three storeys while climbing the hostel stairs shortly after midnight, local newspaper Diari de Tarragona reported. The paper did not name the victim.
Incident at hostel on Carrer Unió
He had been staying at the hostel on Carrer Unió over the weekend with a British friend when the incident happened. His fall is believed to have been accidental.
Catalonia's police force, the Mossos d'Esquadra, has now launched an investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding his death.
Emergency response and tributes
According to local reports, hostel staff immediately called emergency services following the fall. A doctor who was also staying at the hostel was among the first to come to Mr Jowitt's aid. Emergency medical workers tried to revive him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Paying tribute on Facebook, his sister Shivaun Jowitt described him as "one-of-a-kind" and "truly special". She wrote: "This is going to be the hardest post Im probably ever going to do but my darling brother Lee has sadly passed away in Spain from a fall."
She added: "I don't know how I will ever process this. He was only 41, why is this world so cruel. I'm so done... I love you so so much and our special memories will live with me forever."
Fundraiser to bring body home
Friends have established an online fundraiser to help bring Mr Jowitt's body home and "give him the send-off he deserves". Richard Spiteri, who organised the fundraiser, described Mr Jowitt as a "much-loved friend, colleague and brother", adding his death had left many people "heartbroken". At the time of writing, the appeal had raised more than £8,300.
The Foreign Office has been contacted for comment.
