A tragic accident in Torrevieja has resulted in the death of a twenty-two-year-old man. The incident took place on Friday afternoon, when a palm tree collapsed onto his vehicle while he was driving along the CV-905 road. Emergency services, including firefighters, the Civil Guard, and local police, arrived swiftly at the scene. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, the young driver succumbed to his injuries.

The accident occurred at approximately five ten in the afternoon on the stretch of road between the Carrefour roundabout and La Hoya, near the ITV inspection station. The fallen palm tree, which suffered from an infestation of the red weevil beetle, blocked both lanes leading away from Torrevieja, causing significant traffic disruption as over thirty thousand vehicles navigate this route daily.

Witnesses reported that the car had not yet reached the palm tree when it toppled over. The tree landed directly on the front area of the car, dragging it along before coming to a stop beside the central reservation. Firefighters and police confirmed the presence of the invasive beetle, known to weaken palm trees, which may have contributed to this unfortunate incident.

The red weevil beetle has caused extensive damage to palm trees across the region since its arrival in 2008, particularly affecting the Canariensis species. In municipalities like Elche, palm trees have been removed due to safety concerns. While the CV-905 road maintenance falls under regional authority, the local council is responsible for the gardening in the central reservation.