Croatian man, 54, dies of cardiac arrest in car park at Romania's Beach, Please! festival; his teenage son taken into care
A 54-year-old Croatian citizen was found unconscious in his car near the festival site in Costinești late Thursday and could not be revived, authorities said. His 17-year-old son, who had travelled with him, was taken into the care of child protection services.
Discovery and emergency response
A 54-year-old Croatian man was found unconscious in a car in the parking area outside the Beach, Please! festival perimeter in Costinești, Romania, on Thursday night. Gendarmes from the Tomis Constanța Mobile Group were alerted around 23:45. Medical staff began resuscitation immediately at the scene before moving the man to the advanced medical post inside the festival zone, where the protocol was continued. Despite those efforts, he was pronounced dead. Medical sources told Mediafax the man had suffered a cardiac arrest.
Despite all the efforts made by the intervention crews, the man, a 54-year-old Croatian citizen, was declared deceased.
The son and the aftermath
The man had travelled to Romania with his son to attend the music festival. Authorities stated the boy is 17 years old, while festival organisers said he is 16. After the father's death, the minor was taken into the care of the Constanța General Directorate of Social Assistance and Child Protection (DGASPC) and officers from the Constanța Immigration Service. Police have opened an investigation to establish the exact circumstances of the death.
With deep sadness, we confirm that, despite all the efforts made by the medical staff, the person was declared deceased. We stand by the grieving family and offer all necessary support in these difficult moments.
Wider festival policing data
The Ministry of Internal Affairs released figures for the second day of the 2026 edition of Beach, Please! Law enforcement applied 38 contravention fines totalling 25,300 lei, mostly for traffic violations. Officers detected five people carrying substances suspected to be prohibited, and four criminal offences were recorded, including driving under the influence of alcohol or other substances, aggravated robbery, and assault. Emergency crews from the Constanța Inspectorate for Emergency Situations handled 177 medical cases, predominantly intoxications, cardiac conditions, and fainting episodes. Four people were transported to hospital for further investigations and specialist care.
