A 20-year-old Irishman has died following a fall in the Croatian city of Zadar.
According to local media, the young man died after falling from an ancient wall in the surrounds of the Queen Jelena Madijevka Gardens in the early hours of Thursday morning. Local newspaper, IndexHR, report that officers from the Zadar police department responded to the scene at around 4.45am and discovered the man's body.
Police suspect the man's death was caused from a fall from the ramparts in the park but the County State Attorney's Office in Zadar was informed about the event and an autopsy is being carried out to determine the exact cause of death. A rampart is a defensive wall of a castle or walled city, having a broad top with a walkway and typically a stone parapet.
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In response to the Irish Mirror, the Department of Foreign Affairs said it was "aware of the case and is providing consular assistance."
According to IndexHR, the Mayor of Zadar, Branko Dukić, expressed his condolences to the young man's family in Ireland. He said: "I was shocked by this news, thousands of children, adults and elderly people pass through our ramparts every day and they do so without danger and in complete freedom. Unfortunately, accidents happen."
The paper also reports that three people have died in the same area in recent times, including a Dutch tourist in 2018 in a suspected fall from the ramparts.
When questioned on the safety of the ramparts in the area, the Mayor said they are "under the protection of UNESCO, which is why the procedure for installing protective fences is strictly prescribed."
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