A British influencer has died after falling from Spain’s highest bridge while attempting to film social media content.
The incident occurred early in the morning on October 13 when the man plunged from the 630ft Castilla-La Mancha Bridge, located in Talavera de la Reina, approximately 90 minutes southwest of Madrid.
The men were attempting to climb Castilla-La Mancha Bridge. Credit: Justin Setterfield/Getty
Local authorities have confirmed the tragedy, emphasizing that access to the bridge is strictly prohibited, per the Daily Mail.
The unnamed 26-year-old influencer was attempting to climb the bridge when the incident occurred.
A spokesperson for Spain’s National Police provided details of the incident, revealing that he was approximately 40 to 50 meters high, around a quarter of the bridge’s total height, when he fell. The cause of his fall remains unclear and will be investigated by the local court.
Both the deceased and a 24-year-old companion, who survived the incident, were climbing the bridge without safety harnesses or protective gear, according to sources close to the investigation.
The alarm was raised by a passing motorist who witnessed the tragedy.
The surviving companion was reported to be in a state of shock at the scene. A source said, via the Sun, that the male survivor was unable to speak at the time. They said he was still clearly shaken but is no longer at the police station and won’t be facing any criminal charges. It’s up to the local town hall to decide if he’ll face any penalties for doing something illegal, added the source.
Climbing the bridge is prohibited. Credit: Europa Press Sports/Getty
Investigators are also considering whether recent heavy rains, which could have made the bridge’s surfaces more slippery, played a role in the incident.
It is not yet known if the two British men had traveled to Spain specifically for this stunt. They had been using a rental car to get around the area. Spanish police have not disclosed further details regarding the deceased.
The name of the deceased has not been released. Credit: Europa Press Sports/Getty
The Castilla-La Mancha Bridge has been the site of previous dangerous stunts, with local police reporting other cases of individuals climbing the structure to film for social media.
In one instance last year, two bloggers were reported for climbing the bridge without protection and posting the footage online.
Local councillor Macarena Muñoz confirmed the tragic incident and reiterated that climbing the bridge is strictly prohibited.
