After the collapse at Medusa Beach: former operator to testify on November 11

New hearing date in the Medusa Beach case

On November 11, the former operator of the Medusa Beach Club in Palma must appear before the Investigating Court and provide a statement to the police file. The charges are serious: fourfold negligent homicide and sixfold bodily injury. The date had been postponed several times – this time the files seem to have progressed enough for the judiciary to bring the case to the courtroom.

Many people in the area still remember the evening of May 23, 2024: around 9 p.m., the club's roof terrace on the Playa de Palma collapsed, parts fell to the ground floor and into the basement. Four people died, including two German tourists; about 15 others were injured. Emergency responders worked for hours in the rubble.

A man, many questions

The accused, an Austrian restaurateur, has lived on the island for decades and runs other venues in Platja de Palma. He was briefly taken into police custody in June after the catastrophe, but was released. Already at an initial questioning, he exercised his right not to testify; now he has another chance to state his view.

The case is complicated: parties from several countries, assessments of the building's condition and damage, civil lawsuits – all stacked in thick files. Lawyers and relatives from several states now regularly meet in front of the courthouse in Palma, often with suitcases full of documents. One lawyer said translations and expert assessments are being submitted, which is why the matter is dragging on.

Structural defects and missing permits

Investigations showed that the terrace apparently had been erected without the necessary building permit and had significant deficiencies. Whether this alone was causal or whether maintenance deficits and structural changes also played a role should be clarified by the operator's testimony and further technical expert reports.

In the neighborhood, the tension is still felt: conversations in cafes along Paseo Marítimo, conversations in front of the market, families carrying file folders hoping for a resolution. For the relatives, it would be another small step toward understanding how this tragedy could have happened.

The trial is expected to take several months. November 11 is another milestone on a long path to clarification and accountability.