The scene of the accident in the early hours of Thursday morning,

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Joana Maria Adrover, Palma councillor for public security, said at a Thursday press conference that the police driver whose car ran into and killed a pedestrian had lost control of the vehicle.

Adrover stressed that the investigation into what happened is ongoing and that it will be "rigorous". She explained that the patrol car had left Plaça Drassanes with its lights flashing in response to an emergency call. Only some fifty metres away, the driver lost control, mounted a pavement and ran into three pedestrians, killing one of them and seriously injuring another.

The councillor added that security camera images have been studied and that the road was wet at the time, although it cannot yet be stated that this was the reason for the loss of control of the vehicle.

The pedestrian who died as a result of the accident has been named as Mario Decandia, a 36-year-old Italian, who had just finished work at a nearby restaurant (49 Steps) and was walking along the Passeig Sagrera with a work colleague and a female friend.

He worked for the Unami Group, which on Thursday announced that its restaurants in Palma, Puerto Portals and Ibiza will be closed for two days as a mark of respect. "We understand and share the immense pain of the family of the deceased." Friends and fellow workers paid homage to Mario on Thursday afternoon, placing a bouquet of flowers in the area where the accident occurred.

The police driver was given a breath test and recorded zero. He and the other officer, who is a trainee, are receiving psychological support.