© seemallorca.com
British climber dies after cliff fall in Mallorca
Victim drowned after falling from a cliff into the sea in Cala Serena
A young climber lost his life on Thursday, 21st June 2012 when he fell from a cliff into the sea in Cala Serena, on the east coast of Majorca. Local newspapers have named the man as Philip John Hawkes, aged 25 from England. He is reported to have drowned once he had fallen, as he was laden with heavy climbing gear.
The emergency services recovered the body by boat from the sea around 12 noon and Mr Hawkes was pronounced dead at the scene.
Story Updated 27 June 2012
Mr Hawkes had arrived in Majorca a few days previously to practice the sport of deep water soloing. This type of climbing allows the climber to experience climbing without ropes with the knowledge that a fall will be into water, and not on to land. This is supposed to provide the climber with some protection against injury if he falls.
It is not clear whether Mr Hawkes was ascending or decending the cliff when he fell. What is clear is that he was not using ropes at the time of his fall, despite carrying climbing ropes and carabenas when he fell. A post mortem will hope to establish whether the cause of death was through drowning.
