Northern Ireland

Two men arrested by Spanish police investigating death of Aaron Henderson

Aaron Henderon from the Coleraine area died in Majorca
Aaron Henderon from the Coleraine area died in Majorca Aaron Henderon from the Coleraine area died in Majorca

TWO men have been arrested by Spanish police investigating the death of Co Derry man Aaron Henderson.

A 35-year-old British man and a 37-year-old Spanish man were detained by police in Majorca.

Mr Henderson (30) from the Coleraine area had been on holiday with his partner when he is believed to have been attacked in the popular tourist resort of Magaluf during the early hours of April 27.

The father-of-four, who worked for his family wholesale business in Coleraine, died in hospital on the Spanish island on May 1.

His devastated father Paul Henderson yesterday described his son as his "best friend" and told of how the young man had suffered serious head injuries in the attack.

"Aaron had been standing outside a bar in Magaluf when someone ran over and punched him and ran off," he told the Newsletter.

"A man and a woman saw what happened and they phoned an ambulance and stayed with him until he was taken to hospital.

"He had a small bleed on the side of his skull and was rushed into the operating theatre. When we arrived in hospital he was in intensive care and was coming round.

"I said, 'Hello son, do you know who I am?', he said, 'Daddy' and squeezed my hand."

But Mr Henderson said their hopes he would pull through would crushed just days later.

"On the Sunday morning I got a call at the hospital telling me it was bad news and we had to go to the hospital straight away," he said.

"Aaron had a massive bleed on the brain and there was nothing that could be done for him.

"My world fell apart at that moment."

Mr Henderson also described how it has been "a nightmare" trying to get his son's body back to Northern Ireland.

"The authorities in Spain won't release his body because there is an ongoing investigation," he said.

"This is just making it even harder for us to cope with.

"We just want to get him home."

But Mr Henderson said they are donating his organs so his death "wouldn't be in vain".

"It was a hard decision to make, but it gives us some comfort as we know he is still out there, and someone is happy," said Mr Henderson.

"At least we know he didn't die in vain."