- British ex-pat dies of head injuries after falling down uncovered manhole in Calahonda, Mijas Costa
By Andrew Atkinson
British ex-pat Richie Kennedy, 39, has died of head injuries after plunging down an uncovered manhole in Calahonda, Mijas Costa, Spain.
Richie had been out to an Irish pub and had a couple of drinks with some friends. Brighton, East Sussex, born Richie wasn’t found until 15 hours after he went missing after falling down the manhole walking home.
Richie’s distraught partner Claus Dueholm said: “I stepped over the barrier and then I found him, lying there, on his back, with his head covered in blood.
“It was terrible, I was in shock – it was devastating seeing him. I called an ambulance and helped his stepdad, jumping down into the 8ft deep hole, but we couldn’t get him out of there until about two hours later.
“He was completely cold at this point, he had been lying there for more than 15 hours. The police and the people from the ambulance couldn’t get to him.
“It wasn’t until the fire brigade came with a ladder and they finally got him out.”
Claus, originally from Denmark, said: “I went to the local authorities and asked them ‘how many people have to die until you cover up this hole?’
“We lost a person at 39 years old, he had his life ahead of him and we want to get justice.
“It was so obvious, it was so close to the street where people are walking and there is no light in the street.”
The manhole has since been secured.
