In Brief

Three people, all resident on the island, were arrested in Maó on Sunday 5th and charged with drug trafficking. This closes the Maó National Police's 'Operation Boxer' which started a year ago and has led to the arrest of fourteen people of different nationalities and the seizure of 3.63 kgs. of cocaine, 100 gms. hashish, more than 12,495 euros in cash, five vehicles, computer equipment and mobile phones and instruments for preparing the drugs for sale. The estimated street value of the confiscated drugs is around 213,000 euros.

Over half a million air passengers in August

A total of 535,674 passengers passed through Menorca Airport in August on 4,925 flights, figures that were 6.4% and 9% respectively higher than last year. The volume of cargo fell, however, by 3.3% to 312 tons.

In the first eight months of the year, the airport has seen 1.85 million passengers which is an increase of 3% on 2009, although the number of flights decreased by 0.5% to 20,445.

151,000 kgs. of waste cleared from beaches

During August the Servei Insular de Neteja de Platges (the Menorca Beach-cleaning Service) manually cleared 15,124 bags of rubbish from the island's beaches, the equivalent of 151,240 kgs. A further 1,795 bags of posidonia were also collected, approximately 17,950 kgs.

This August was the coolest since the summer of 2002

This August was more than a degree cooler than the norm in Menorca and the north of Mallorca, although Palma's temperatures were similar to usual and Ibiza's nearly half a degree warmer. In the archipelago as a whole, the average temperature for the month was 24.8 degrees C compared to the usual 25.3 degrees C. Although there were some hot days, none were record-breaking. According to the Balearic Meteorological Centre, it was the coldest August since 2002. There was also less rain than usual, 11 litres per sq. m. compared to an average of more than 20 litres.

Hungry rat causes 5-hour power cut in Es Mercadal

Residents in the district of Es Mercadal were left without electricity for up to five hours on Tuesday morning after a rat chewed through a 15,000-volt cable in a substation, despite the use of anti-rodent devices such as ultrasound and poison. Some 4,000 ENDESA customers were cut off from 0545 hrs. until almost 1100 hrs.

Guests in two different hotels in the district were trapped in lifts as a result of the power cut but were rescued within a short period of time.

Aeroclub to decide whether to appeal against fine

Members of the Aeroclub have to decide whether to pay the 135,000 euro fine imposed as a result of being denounced by a professional aviation company for carrying out "commercial flights" (which were actually forest fire detection flights) or whether to lodge an appeal through the courts. With an annual budget in the region of 90,000 euros, paying the sanction could mean the end of the club.