The severely damaged rental car was finally removed near the Universe roundabout on 13 October after initial recovery attempts failed. Its difficult position required specialist equipment, while the rental company reportedly did not learn that it remained at the scene until days later.

A severely damaged Mercedes-Benz hybrid remained in vegetation beside a roundabout near Sant Rafel in Ibiza for approximately a week before a specialist recovery company removed it on Tuesday, 13 October.

The vehicle had reportedly left the roundabout, crossed a guardrail and struck a container used for collecting second-hand clothing. The impact left the container destroyed and the car with extensive front-end damage.

According to information provided by Grúas Ibiza, the company that ultimately recovered the vehicle, the first recovery attempts were unsuccessful because the car had ended up in a difficult position outside the road.

The incident has also raised questions about the coordination of recovery services and the potential safety concerns associated with leaving a seriously damaged hybrid vehicle beside vegetation for several days.

How the Accident Happened

The exact date of the accident has not been established publicly. It reportedly occurred during the early hours of a morning in the week before the vehicle was recovered.

According to the account provided by the recovery company, the Mercedes crossed the roundabout and went over the guardrail before landing on a used-clothing collection container.

The vehicle came to rest among vegetation, with its left front axle assembly reportedly detached and the entire front section severely damaged. It was subsequently described as a total loss.

The available reports do not establish the precise circumstances that caused the driver to leave the roundabout, and no confirmed findings on the cause of the accident have been published.

The condition of the vehicle's occupants has also not been independently confirmed.

Why Did Recovery Take Around Seven Days?

The initial recovery operation did not succeed. According to Grúas Ibiza, the Guardia Civil requested roadside assistance following the accident, but the first recovery vehicle or vehicles were unable to remove the Mercedes from its position.

The car was outside the carriageway, surrounded by vegetation and debris from the damaged container. Its position meant that a conventional recovery attempt was insufficient.

The recovery company's representative explained that not all tow trucks have the equipment or technical capacity required for complex operations involving severely damaged vehicles or difficult access.

The representative also discussed how roadside assistance providers and contracted operators are allocated work, suggesting that commercial considerations can influence which services are dispatched. However, the available information does not establish that pricing or any particular company's decision caused the delay in this case.

There is no independently confirmed explanation for why several days passed between the unsuccessful initial attempts and the eventual specialist recovery.

Concerns Over a Damaged Hybrid Vehicle

The Mercedes was reportedly a hybrid, combining a combustion engine with an electric drive system and a high-voltage battery.

The recovery company raised concerns about the vehicle remaining among vegetation because serious damage to a hybrid or electric vehicle can create additional hazards if electrical components or the battery are affected.

Damaged high-voltage systems can present electrical and fire risks. However, there is no evidence that this Mercedes caught fire or that a battery fault was confirmed.

The recovery company's representative warned that a fire could have spread to nearby vegetation and potentially threatened neighbouring properties. This was expressed as a concern about a possible risk, not as confirmation that the vehicle was about to ignite.

The incident highlights why the safe handling of severely damaged vehicles may require specialist equipment and appropriate precautions.

Rental Company Reportedly Unaware the Car Remained There

According to the recovery company, the Mercedes belonged to a car-rental business that was not informed immediately that the vehicle remained at the accident scene.

The company's representative said the rental business was reportedly notified around a week after the accident. The rental company then contacted the specialist operator to arrange the recovery.

The available reporting does not independently establish the full sequence of communications between the rental company, the initial roadside assistance providers and the authorities.

Specialist Equipment Used to Remove the Mercedes

The Mercedes was finally recovered on Tuesday, 13 October.

The operation required a crane truck to move containers obstructing access, including the damaged clothing collection container. Once the area had been cleared sufficiently, the recovery team used a winch to pull the vehicle from the vegetation and load it onto a recovery platform.

The car was subsequently removed from the site in a condition described as a total loss.

The successful recovery ended the vehicle's approximately week-long presence beside the road. However, the precise reason for the delay and the circumstances surrounding the original accident remain unconfirmed.