Man left paraplegic after balcony collapse at La Manga hotel

The victim, aged 43, was in the hotel pool when part of a ninth-floor balcony collapsed into the swimming area, causing catastrophic spinal injuries

A 43-year-old man has been left paraplegic following the balcony collapse at a hotel in La Manga del Mar Menor, in Cartagena, after part of the structure fell into the swimming pool area and struck him while he was in the water.

He remains in hospital in Murcia but is expected to be transferred in a medicalised vehicle to his home province of Almería. From there, he will be moved on to the National Spinal Cord Injury Hospital in Toledo, a specialist centre for the treatment and rehabilitation of severe spinal injuries.

According to onlookers, it was 'half a balcony' that came down rather than smaller debris, with the force of the impact causing catastrophic injuries. He was first taken to Hospital Santa Lucía in Cartagena before being transferred to Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca in Murcia, where he underwent emergency surgery carried out by a neurosurgical team.

The incident happened at the Hotel Izán Cavanna, a long-established tourist complex, while the man was on holiday with his wife. Family members say the hotel did not offer them any accommodation or assistance and have since sought legal advice.

The investigation is now being led by the Guardia Civil, which is looking into why the balcony collapsed and whether there could be more structural issues in the building. The City Council of Cartagena has also opened a building safety file, ordering the closure of the affected rooms and requiring the hotel to provide a safety certificate confirming the structure is secure before it can be used again.

Municipal officials have also instructed the operator to carry out urgent repairs and recommended a full building assessment.

The hotel has not yet responded publicly to the latest developments.

Authorities continue to stress that the priority is establishing whether there is any ongoing risk to guests or staff at the complex.

Image: Hotel Izán Cavanna