The insurance company for the Medusa Beach Club in Playa de Palma, where the roof terrace collapsed in May 2024 killing for four people and injuring 14 others, has allocated 300,000 euros for the victims.
This is understood to be the maximum coverage per claim that had been contracted by the business owner, Austrian Christian Arnsteiner, who faces charges of reckless homicide as well as charges related to the injuries. Last November he consigned 250,000 euros for the relatives of the deceased and the injured.
When he appeared in court in November, Christian Arnsteiner blamed his former partner and the owners of the premises for the building's deficiencies. He explained that he had nothing to do with works that were carried out in 2013; he had managed the business since 2021. No one informed him that work was carried out without a licence or that there had been an unfavourable technical inspection. He was arrested in June 2024 and released after exercising his right not to testify.
Investigators from the National Police Homicide Squad and technicians from Palma Town Hall discovered that the terrace did not have a licence. Palma's mayor, Jaime Martínez, shortly afterwards referred to a 2023 buildings inspection report which had been unfavourable.
Following the incident, Palma Fire and Rescue issued a report which stated that the terrace had collapsed due to "overload" caused by there having been 21 people on it.
The four people who lost their lives were two female German holidaymakers, ages 20 and 30; 44-year-old Abdoulaye Doup, who had stopped off for a coffee on his way to work as a doorman; and 23-year-old Mariama Syll, a waitress at the restaurant.