Rail deaths
Two people died last month when their
car was hit by a train at a level crossing in
Granada. The train travelling from
Almería to Sevilla collided with the
vehicle near Dólar in the east of the
province. The line was closed and coaches
were used to transport passengers until
the judicial authorities permitted the
removal of the victims’ bodies.
Gang detained
Two people detained in Benamocarra are
thought to members of a gang which has
targeted supermarkets, tobacconists and
bars in Granada and Cádiz. Police say
they have stolen more than €40,000 in
cash during a series of raids. A third
person who fled after injuring a Guardia
Civil officer trying to arrest him is still
being sought.
Drugs mule
A 50-year-old Brazilian woman who
arrived at Málaga’s airport on a flight
from Brazil via Zurich was found to have
51 packets of cocaine inside her body.
National Police said her “lack of
consistency” in explaining her presence in
Spain made officers suspicious. The
woman who was carrying 306 grams of
the drug was detained and taken to
hospital.
Flu jabs
The winter flu inoculation campaign
began in the province of Málaga last
month. Around 214,000 doses of the
vaccine have been distributed to 191
centres. Doctors say those at risk include
the over-65s, patients suffering a chronic
illness, pregnant women and health care
staff, while other public service workers
and anyone dealing with risk groups are
also recommended to be inoculated.
Tourism warning
Rising hotel prices are driving people
away from the coast, according to
Turismo Costa del Sol. The public entity
in the province of Málaga claims that
while hotel tariffs have risen by 10%, the
number of overnight stays has fallen by
14.1%. It says this equates to 118,000 fewer
tourists staying in Málaga’s hotels in the
first eight months of this year.
Tourist dies
A Spanish tourist died last month in
Florence after being hit by a chunk of
marble which fell from the façade of the
basilica of Santa Croce, burial place of
Galileo Galilei. The object fell 30 metres,
striking the 52-year-old Barcelona man
on the head. He died at the scene and his
wife was reported to have been treated
for shock.
Granada signs Easyjet
package deal
Granada and Easyjet have reached a
deal on new package holidays to the
province. The agreement, announced
last month, will create package deals
related to mountain tourism and skiing,
as well as promoting the cultural aspects
of the city.
The mayor of Granada, Francisco
Cuenca, said that Easyjet flights from
London and Manchester have an
occupancy rate of 90 per cent, while the
link to Italy is “being well received.” The
objective of the new agreement, he
added, is to ensure and consolidate these
with promotional campaigns and
tailored packages because Granada is, “a
destination which is increasingly in
demand.”
Sr Cuenca also underlined the desire to
promote Granada as a “great city of
culture” and said he will be working
with Easyjet to publicise the Festival of
Music and Dance held every July. He
said international connections with
Granada’s airport have now been re-
established and, “we must now give
European tourists the best of our city
with quality packages which strengthen
the proper functioning of the air links.”
Juana is alive and well,
although dead
A seven-year-old Málaga mystery may
be about to be resolved following a
court order to exhume the body of a
woman who died on May 13, 2010. A
court in the city authorised the move
last month so that DNA samples could
be taken in an effort to identify her.
According to official records, the body
is that of Juana Escudero Lezcano who
died from a respiratory infection. This
came as something of a surprise to 54-
year-old Juana Escudero Lezcano of
Sevilla who was told she was dead
when she visited her doctor and her
personal details were entered into the
health service database.
The court heard that when the dead
woman died, her partner identified
her, but in April 2016, her remains
were removed from the niche where
they had been placed because the fee
for its use had not been paid, and now
are in an ossuary. The court also asked
for the partner to be found to establish
if a crime of theft or impersonation has
been committed.
The real Juana, who has no connection
10
with Málaga having been born and
spent her life in Sevilla, instructed a
solicitor to ask the courts to clarify the
issue once and for all. One hypothesis
is that the remains are those of a sister
with whom Juana lost contact many
years ago.
Teen attack
Five 15 and 16-year-olds have been
detained in Málaga after attacking a
group of homeless individuals with
bottles on La Malagueta beach. One
woman with head injuries walked into
a bar for help and the police were
called. A group matching the suspects’
description were later detained in the
area of Pier One and returned to their
homes. The juvenile prosecutor is
considering the case.
Biker detained
Granada police last month detained a
motorcyclist who was more than three
times over the alcohol limit. In
addition, he was found to be carrying
an unlicensed hunting rifle. The
firearm was confiscated and his bike
was immobilised before he was
arrested.