An Irishman who was assaulted while holidaying in Gran Canaria two weeks ago has died in hospital, write Alison Healy, and Jane Walker in Madrid.
Mr Daniel O'Callaghan (24), from Rathmines, Dublin, arrived in the resort of Maspalomas on the Spanish island with a few friends on Saturday, April 26th.
The group went out that night, but Mr O'Callaghan left the club early to return home. He was attacked and mugged as he walked home alone.
He received serious head injuries and was left in a critical condition by his attackers. His wallet and credit card were missing.
Mr O'Callaghan had been receiving treatment in hospital since then. He died yesterday morning.
His parents, Dennis and Maeve O'Callaghan, who had flown to the island after the attack, were at their son's bedside at the time of his death.
Ms O'Callaghan, who is a doctor, thanked the medical staff at the hospital, saying they had done everything possible to try to save her son's life.
A family spokesman in Dublin said the medical care had been excellent, but Daniel's condition had been "deteriorating relentlessly" since the attack.
Yesterday the family was making arrangements to bring his body home to Dublin.
A Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman said it was offering any consular assistance the family needed in making these arrangements.
The honorary consul in the Canaries and the embassy in Madrid had been in regular contact with the family since they became aware of the incident.
Mr O'Callaghan worked in the telecommunications sector in Dublin.
His friends raised the alarm the morning after the night out when they realised that he had not returned home.
Police traced him to a hospital in Las Palmas, and Mr O'Callaghan's family was alerted.
The police said they were following a number of lines of inquiry. They are looking for the gang they believe carried out the attack.
Yesterday, they said they were unwilling to give any information until their investigation was complete.
A police spokesman said he hoped they would be in a position to issue a statement within days.
After the assault, the family spokesman said he was concerned the attackers would not be caught because they may have fled the island or may have been holiday-makers and could have left the island before being apprehended.
The Canaries, off the north-west coast of Africa, are a popular destination for Irish holiday-makers.
Thousands of holiday-makers travel to islands such as Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Tenerife every year.