Tourist Reportedly Killed In 'Mini Tsunami' That Hit Majorca And Menorca

A father of two has been killed in the 'mini tsunami' that hit the holiday islands of Majorca and Menorca on Monday morning.

The unnamed 52-year-old was swept out to sea with the rest of his family at Portopetro, Majorca, after the 5ft wave hit the shores of the popular holiday destination.

It has been reported in German newspaper BILD that he was carried out to sea along with his wife and two children.

The children's mother rescued one child, and nearby canoeists pulled the other to safety, but then could only gather the lifeless body of their father afterwards.

Police are investigating the man's death, but it is not thought that there are any suspicious circumstances.

The freak wave flooded seafronts and beaches on Monday, leaving a trail of destruction behind it. The phenomenon is also known as a meteotsunami, or meteorological tsunami, and is caused by sudden changes in barometric pressure that displace water in huge quantities.

Terrifing video footage was captured of the moment the wave reached the shoreline and flooded the entire seafront, as well as many businesses and hotels along the way.

Yacht and boat owners were forced to fight against their boats becoming loose of their moorings and drifting out to sea. This is exactly what happened to one historic sailing boat on the island of Majorca. Sailors later rescued it as it drifted out to sea.

Luckily, the wave hit early in the morning, whilst the beaches were quiet. Had it happened later in the day, the consequences could have been dire.

The tsunami hit the coast less than 40 miles from Sant Llorenc, where the popular ITV show Love Island is being filmed.

The meteotsunami, known as a rissaga in Catalan Spanish, occurred after a disturbance in air pressure that was caused by a fast-moving weather front - possibly a heavy thunderstorm.

Meteorological tsunamis are not usually as large, or as severe as normal tsunamis, which are usually caused by seismic activity such as earthquakes.

Despite the unusual event, the official advice is that it is still safe to travel to the Balearic Islands. There are no travel restrictions in place following the event.

A similar event took place in the Netherlands last June.

Nobody was hurt and only damage to property was reported.

Featured Image Credit: Facebook/Virales Mallorca

Topics: Weather, News, Spain, Holiday, tourism

Tom Wood

Tom Wood is a freelance journalist and LADbible contributor. He graduated from University of London with a BA in Philosophy before studying for a Masters in Journalism at the University of Salford. He has previously written for the M.E.N Group as well as working for several top professional sports clubs. Contact him on [email protected]

@TPWagwim