Woman dies after her MOBILITY SCOOTER careens off cliff as family watched in horror
BENIDORM, SPAIN: A 58-year-old woman lost her life after plummeting to her death while riding a mobility scooter. The name of the victim is not known but it has been said that she was a Britisher who was holidaying in the Serra Gelada Natural Park in Benidorm with her family when tragedy struck.
The woman was using the "motorised chair" near the cliff edge on Wednesday, August 24, when she fell. For unknown reasons her scooter got diverted from the road, careening into the rough hillside area that has a steep path and is surrounded by massive stone boulders. Local reports stated that the woman’s eight-year-old grandson was also accompanying her when the incident happened. The child also plunged down with her but was saved by fire crews. Local reports about the incident have not stated if the child was injured and how seriously.
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Now, an investigation into the incident has been launched as cops are trying to find the reason behind the fatal accident. They are also reportedly checking if the mobility scooter was adhering to all legal safety measures. A local report said: “The fire brigade was sent to the emergency with several vehicles, with the primary aim of rescuing the injured persons as quickly as possible. On arrival, the firefighters collaborated with the troops of the Local Police of Benidorm and Health Technicians SAMU, who performed resuscitation techniques on a woman, [but] not obtaining positive results.”
This comes as several reports claim that Spanish law enforcement officials are working to put an end to the rising craze among Britishers of riding mobility scooters in the area, designed for people with disabilities or over the age of 55. They reportedly got inspired after watching ‘Benidorm,’ a British comedy series following holidaymakers at the Solana Resort in Benidorm. However, now a fine of over $473 (£400) has been put "for improper use" of the scooters after an investigation claimed some Brits had lied about disabilities in order to hire them. According to a mobility scooter rental company in the resort city, around 80% of its customers are Brit tourists,” The Sun reported. A source reportedly said, “The Brits often lie to use as they do not meet the requirements to get a scooter.” Another one added, “Most of these are young Brits who want to use it to go clubbing to escape the cost of a taxi.”
Meanwhile, a council spokesperson noted: “A campaign has been launched to inform establishments that hire these vehicles to make sure they are complying with municipal by-laws and police officers are also keeping tabs on the people who are using them." In another incident, an Italian woman died while on a hiking trip with her boyfriend. She was soaking in the beauty of the Apuan Alps above the Monte Macina valley in Italy when she fell to her death on Monday, August 22. As per reports, just moments before the horror accident, she had texted her mother.
Her devastated mother, Elisabetta, said: “She had recently returned from an excursion with her boyfriend from the Aosta Valley. The trip up the Apuan Alps was the last one they had to do. She had sent me a photo of the mountains and said 'Mom, if you could see how beautiful it is from up here'. I pray so much that she didn't suffer. It still doesn't seem real to me.”