Bones in landfill

Mysterious death on Mallorca solved

In Mallorca, a young tourist fell into a garbage container and died (symbolic image).(Bild: stock.adobe.com/ Arkadij Schell)

A young tourist went partying in Mallorca in the fall and then disappeared without a trace. Investigators already assumed it was a fatal accident at the time. Now the remains of the 24-year-old have been found - in a landfill site. A DNA comparison confirmed the suspicion.

As reported, the Argentinian vocational student was waiting for the bus in Palma on the night of October 2 after a night of partying with friends. She apparently wanted to get something from a garbage container and fell in. Investigators reconstructed that she was unable to get out due to her drunken state.

Shortly afterwards, of all things, the container was emptied by a garbage truck on its way to the Son Reus incinerator. There is no oxygen inside the vehicle and the compactor compresses the waste. "It's impossible to survive in a garbage truck," said chief investigator Ángel Ruiz in October.

However, the body of the 24-year-old tourist was not found and the search for her remains was initially unsuccessful. The police suspected that the body had been cremated in the incinerator. In order to clarify the case, investigators said they searched 60,000 tons of waste in 24-hour shifts for a month. Bone remains belonging to the Argentinian woman have now been found. A DNA comparison with samples from her family confirmed this.

The case has now been solved beyond doubt, said the police. Relatives and other people had feared a crime and had taken to the streets with posters and banners for the deceased. The police themselves were quickly convinced that it was a tragic accident.