Staff Reporter
A 23-year-old man was tragically killed in the early hours of yesterday morning after losing control of his vehicle on the Manacor to Portocristo Road.
The car ploughed off the main carriageway, careered more than 50 metres into a pine thicket and immediately caught fire due to the impact.
Initial investigations revealed that the victim, identified as Javier Sanchez Sojo was driving in the direction of Manacor in a powerful Subaru Impreza. For reasons which are not yet clear, he lost control on one of the bends - possibly because of excess speed - hit an uneven surface at the side of the road and bounced off a slightly raised section of stone walling dividing the carriageway from the adjacent ditch.
After shooting across 50 metres of scrubland and thickets, the car smashed into a spinney of trees and burst into flames.
When Emergency Services arrived at the scene, the car and the body of the victim were completely burned. Vehicle parts were spread for some distance around. When Guardia Civil officers found the number plate, they were able to trace ownership to the victim's father.