Find Us On… … …
Lanzarote Tourist Killed in Playa Blanca
Published May 31, 2010 | 
A number of us know a popular Lanzarote forum member Stuartp – who is here right now because he was supposed to be celebrating an impending wedding. Unfortunately the group he was holidaying in Lanzarote with, has been struck with tragedy this weekend.
A member of the group, a policeman who played rugby in the Holme Valley has died in a tragic holiday accident in Playa Blanca. Detective Constable Matthew Dunn, 31, was hit by a car in the resort of Playa Blanca at approximately 1am, Friday and was then taken to the Arrecife Hospital where he later died. Another man who was with them suffered serious injuries. He is not in the police.
Stuart would like us to add the following update:
The lad in hospital (Norman) is doing well and hoping to be flown back by private charter within a week. Both his wife and family of Matt are in town along with officers from west yorkshire police.
A man has been arrested and charged with 5 offences including driving over the limit not stopping at accident and murder.
Both the local and British police have been superb as have friends in the community who have offered to help wherever possible.
Arrecife hospital has been as good as any at home if not better. However while it may not have made a difference for Matt and local ambulance were at the scene within 15 mins, full paramedics had to come from Arrecife and we will be pushing for there to be a paramedic resource in Playa Blanca as 3/4 hour is too long in emergencys like this.
Our most sincere condolances are with Stuart, his group… and the families of the affected.
Elle xx
You may also enjoy reading the following:
- Growth of Playa Blanca Playa Blanca is by far the fastest growing resort in Lanzarote. Being Lanzarote things don’t happen fast, but in the time we have been here...
- New market in Playa Blanca, Lanzarote A new market has started in Playa Blanca. It is held every Friday in the Punta Limones commercial centre. Stretching round from the car park,...
- 26 million to be invested in the 3 tourist resorts The three tourist resorts of Lanzarote — Puerto del Carmen, Playa Blanca, and Costa Teguise will receive investments of 26 million euros until the year...
- Job vacancy in Playa Blanca, Lanzarote – Nov 2010 The following job in Playa Blanca, Lanzarote is for an immediate start. Please apply via the form below… rather than by email to us –...
- Cruise Ships Coming to Playa Blanca Lanzarote from Nov 2011 We have heard some excellent news this evening. From November 2011 to April 2012… TUI are sending cruise ships to Lanzarote. They will be heading...
6 Responses to Lanzarote Tourist Killed in Playa Blanca
Leave a Reply
Very very sad news about the tragic accident in Playa blanca. But as a state reg Paramedic i feel that an awful lot of Brits would be astonished if thay learned just how far they are from paramedic cover back in the UK
It is now one year since this sad accident and I wonder if the folk of Playa Blanca have made any headway to get a paramedic or doctor on call available in your town when an emergency such as this happens again. Who knows if this man’s life might have been saved if treatment had been administered sooner. It is a tragedy that 31 year old Matthew Dunn died in the prime of his life – surely in his memory something tangible should be achieved.
Several years ago I had a bad fall in Playa Blanca at 10.30pm. later learned (when I got home) I had broken my pelvic bone in 3 places. I was in great pain, could not stand and my daughter insisted they called a doctor. But no one was available. She then wanted an ambulance. They came and were very sympathetic but said the hospital was out of their region and they could not take me to Arrecife Hospital.. My daughter went beserk while I cried out in pain. She won the day and I was taken by ambulance to Arrecife. The hospital staff were kind, and the doc spoke English. After x-rays and a consultation when I was told I had bruised bones which were bleeding, I was sent back to my holiday home, one of the Suns, with my x-ray – all under my EU card.
The next 12 days I spent in a wheelchair as we could see no point in going home.We soon found out where the disabled toilets were and the restaurants who had facilities upstairs or downstairs – so I restricted my fluid intake. But your taxi drivers were magnificent. They helped me in and out of taxis if I put out my arm for support. They folded my wheelchair and came back for us. They were fantastic. Hooray for Playa Blanca taxis. It was 5 months before I could walk on my own two feet after a stay in hospital at home and 3 months bed rest.
But that has not kept me away from my holidays in Playa Blanca and I am glad lived to tell the tale. Maybe some Govt.money could be used for a small A&E Accident & Emergency Out-of-ours Clinic for late emergencies or a rota of local doctors subsidised by Govt.money. Everything seems to be private medical treatment in Playa Blanca.
Good luck with this project which could benefit locals as well as tourists. J
Excuse typos – I am a fibromite
Oh bless you Hatti – I’m sure that your efforts were appreciated.
Elle xx
i was out in Lanzarote at the time and we was only up the road from where it had happened.. we seen the sign the monday after the accident and me and my dad was devestated .. we read the note and it kept me thinking about it all day. On Tuesday the note wasnt up anymore but the flowerrs were.. i seen the note down the road so i ran down to get it and tryed putting it back up but it didnt feel very secure. i didnt have anything with my to tie it up with sorry.. all my love to family and friends.
So sad to read about this tourist who died in Playa Blanca road accident. We live 7 miles from the main hospital and the ambulance station in Chichester, West Sussex. Like Playa Blanca our village is possibly 20 minutes drive or maybe 15 with an ambulance and blue lights. To help overcome this there are teams of paramedics that live in the outlying areas but we also have a village First Response. This is a red and yellow car manned 24 hours by trained volunteers who are on the scene before the ambulance. It parks in the middle of the village. The villagers fund raise for this fantastic service and get grants to keep them on the road but this does save lives when your town is isolated. I could get more information if anyone in Playa Blanca wanted it. A town raffle running for several months with a holiday at one of the Sun resorts as the prize, should raise quite a lot of money to get you started. Mainland drug companies might help too. Worth thinking about. Jeanne
Oh jeez… that´s is such sad news. And it´s tragic that the long journey to Arrecife might have contributed to his death.
Although I love driving on the nice empty, uncongested roads here in Lanzarote, the amount of dangerous drivers (tailgating in particular, speeding and other dangerous manouevres without indicating) never cease to make me so angry, constantly making me think “how dare they endanger MY life with their actions?!”.
Back to the tailgating again… do drivers not realise that if I only step on the brakes to avoid running over an animal (or whatever other reason!), and they run into the back of me, that THEY are responsible?
*Sigh* I could rant on and on here. But instead, I just send my heart out to the families & friends affected.