Increased fears after crane collapses near golf course

AN expat has warned of the potentially deadly legacy left by Spain’s property boom after a crane collapsed yards from a popular golf course.

The structure came crashing down close to the fairway at Alcaidesa golf links, near Sotogrande, after years of neglect left it dangerously unstable.

Now a member of Alcaidesa, who asked not to be named, has claimed there are dozens of similarly dilapidated cranes in built-up areas along the Costa del Sol.

The Gibraltar-based engineer insisted many are in real danger of falling due to a lack of maintenance.

“There hasn’t been any maintenance on many of them for 10 years and all the support cables are starting to rust,” the 58-year-old from Duquesa told the Olive Press.

“Because they are so close to the sea, the salt in the air is eroding the cranes much quicker than would be the case with structures further inland.

“These cranes can weigh up to 15 tonnes and are several storeys high, so they would do a huge amount of damage if they collapsed.”

He added: “It is becoming a big safety hazard and is an accident waiting to happen.”