A young man was killed by a taxi on the access road to Menorca airport early Tuesday, renewing attention to a risky pattern local taxi drivers say has become all too common. The collision occurred around 5 a.m., before sunrise, on the San Clemente road, just meters from the Maó terminal. El Caso, in a report by Lucas Martorell, also described the young man as lying on the ground when the taxi struck him.
Taxi drivers say that, particularly during the nightclub season, people leaving a nearby club enter the roadway to hail taxis. Some reportedly lie down on the road; others throw objects or shout at passing vehicles in an attempt to secure a ride. Drivers say similar hazards arise at nightlife locations across the island, including the port of Maó, Son Bou and Cova d’en Xoroi.
Digna Tur, president of Radio Taxi Menorca, has voiced frustration over the lack of preventive measures, saying requests for increased security at known trouble spots have often gone unanswered. She says the risks extend beyond the airport and that similar incidents have occurred during local festivals and in other busy nightlife areas. Tur has emphasized the risks to both drivers and passengers, citing cases in which people block roads or act aggressively toward taxis.
Police in Maó are investigating Tuesday’s fatality. The inquiry is considering whether the victim was a nightclub patron who fell asleep by the roadside or was on his way to catch a flight. Authorities have appealed for witnesses who may have seen what happened before the collision.
The incident has caused concern among airport staff, many of whom were arriving for early shifts. Union representatives at Aena Menorca have raised concerns about the nightclub’s proximity to the airport, citing broken glass and thrown objects, along with vehicles moving at speed in the terminal area. The union and taxi association are calling for stricter controls and increased surveillance during high-risk hours.
Menorca’s airport is a basic transport hub, particularly during the tourist season, when nightlife activity peaks. The overlap between late-night clubgoers and early-morning airport traffic has renewed calls for better coordination between local police and airport management, with transport services also involved in improving safety where nightlife and transport routes meet.
