A 60-year-old man died on Saturday, 22 August 2026, in Calasparra (Región de Murcia) after being struck by a falling branch in the immediate vicinity of the Santuario de la Virgen de la Esperanza a falling branch. Emergency services 112 Región de Murcia said that despite immediate efforts, responders were unable to resuscitate the man; he was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.
According to the Centro de Coordinación de Emergencias 1-1-2 several emergency calls were received at around 13:48. The incident was reported in an area near the riverbank and the car park by the sanctuary. Witnesses administered first aid until professional responders arrived. Medical teams and two ambulances attended, including one vehicle from Calasparra and another from Caravaca de la CruzForces from the Consorcio de Extinción de Incendios y Salvamento (CEIS) from Parque de Caravaca also attended to secure the scene and support the operation. The control centre coordinated the response through the 1-1-2 emergency number.
Initial reports from the authorities gave no further details about how the branch broke or the condition of the tree. No reports of other injuries had been received by the afternoon. Police opened routine inquiries into the cause of the accident; an official statement from Calasparra Town Council or the regional government on the cause was not initially available. The identity of the deceased was not released.
The Santuario de la Virgen de la Esperanza and its surroundings are a popular destination for outings and pilgrimages. In comparable cases, the relevant authorities examine whether weather conditions, pre-existing damage to the wood or inadequate maintenance contributed to a break. It remains unclear whether, and to what extent, additional tree inspections will be ordered in the area. The facts confirmed so far are the location and time of the incident, the response by the services named above and the confirmed death. Claims about the cause have not been substantiated at this stage; such assessments are for the relevant authorities to make.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).