Local councillor Macarena Munoz confirmed the tragedy in Talavera de la Reina, Spain, today as she said authorities have made it clear accessing the bridge is “totally banned”
A daredevil British influencer has died after falling from Spain’s highest bridge during an attempted social media stunt.
The 26-year digital creator is said to have plunged from the 630ft (192 metre) Castilla-La Mancha bridge – which stands over the Tagus River 90 minutes southwest of Madrid – in Talavera de la Reina early this morning as he climbed it to film a social media stunt at around 7.15am. The unnamed Brit is said to have been with a 24-year-old companion when he plunged to his death.
National Police as well as local town-hall employed firefighters rushed to the scene with paramedics but there was nothing they could to save the Brit. Footage from the scene of the tragedy showed police cordoning off the area near to where he fell. Talavera de la Reina Town Council confirmed the death in a statement, saying local officials have long made clear that climbing the bridge is “totally banned” and “cannot be done under any circumstances”.
The statement read: “The Councillor for Citizen Security, Macarena Munoz, has confirmed the death of a young man after he fell from the Castilla-La Mancha bridge. He was a 26-year-old Englishman who fell while climbing the aforementioned bridge, something which the councillor has made clear is totally prohibited and that we have reiterated on numerous occasions cannot be done under any circumstances.”
A spokesperson for a regional government-run emergency coordination centre confirmed: “We received the first call at 7.14am today, saying a young man had fallen while he was climbing the Castilla-La Mancha Bridge. The victim, who was aged 26, was pronounced dead at the scene.
“National Police, local police, firefighters from Talavera de la Reina and an emergency ambulance was sent to the scene but there was nothing any of the emergency responders could do to save him.” The bridge is a cable-stayed bridge featuring 152 wire ropes which was opened on October 17 2011 and cost nearly €74 million (£62 million) to build.
It was widely considered a waste of money by local and national media when it was built and as it carried little traffic was often referred to as the “bridge to nowhere.” A year ago local police reported two young bloggers who climbed it without any protection and then posted videos on their social media. In 2016 two youngsters were reported for the same stunt.
The statement continued: “The young man was accompanied by another 24-year-old Englishman. “According to what we have been able to establish they had come to Talavera to climb the bridge and create content for social media, which has resulted in this unfortunate and sad outcome.”
“The judge and the forensic doctor have already authorised the removal of the body, which has been transferred to the funeral parlour.” Ms Munoz added: “We have made it clear on several occasions that it’s not something that can be done in any circumstances.”
A post-mortem of the man’s body is yet to take place, and his identity is yet to be confirmed.
