Police investigating the death of CD Tenerife footballer Jesus de Miguel are probing the emergency medical response, as well as the possibility that goalkeeper Jesus Owono's horror tackle could be involuntary manslaughter. Homicide squad officers based in the Tenerife capital, Santa Cruz, launched the probe as court officials explained that any death not resulting from natural causes automatically triggers a judicial investigation.

Legal experts have stated they do not expect the ongoing investigation to lead to criminal charges against Andorra FC goalkeeper Owono because the clash occurred during open play, although he is expected to be hit with a lengthy ban. However, the police probe will also review the medical response to the emergency and seek to address questions about whether De Miguel was given oxygen on the pitch and whether a defibrillator was used from the outset, alongside issues around the assistance he received during his ambulance transfer.

Why Police Are Investigating the Emergency Medical Response

The 30-year-old father-of-one passed away at Nuestra Senora Candelaria University Hospital after his second-division club revealed his neurological condition had worsened. Medical personnel involved in the footballer's care are expected to be questioned, and detectives will sift through medical reports as part of the formal inquiry. Well-placed sources indicated there were certain discrepancies within the reports, or potential inaccuracies when compared to other evidence in the case, such as video footage recorded and posted on social media.

Respected island newspaper El Dia reported that among the issues currently under investigation is whether the medical team who rushed from the sidelines to the centre of the pitch carrying a stretcher, a spinal board, and an Automated External Defibrillator acted with due diligence. The medical staff spent more than six minutes on the pitch before placing him on the spinal board for transport to an ambulance, which was stationed at one of the stadium access gates on La Mutine Street.

Questions Over Oxygen Administration and Patient Transfer

Investigators are also looking into an even more striking question regarding the pitchside care. After a Guedel airway, a curved, semi-rigid oropharyngeal tube, was inserted into the player's mouth following his loss of consciousness to prevent his tongue from obstructing his airway, authorities are examining whether he was also provided with oxygen during the resuscitation efforts on the pitch, as required by protocol.

According to sources, efforts are still underway to gather all available evidence to determine whether De Miguel was administered oxygen, either via a bag-valve mask or a face mask connected to one of the oxygen cylinders kept pitchside at the stadium. Sources indicate that this remains unresolved regarding the medical care provided on the field of play. Furthermore, footage of the player being transported on a spinal board suggests that oxygen was not being administered during that process.

Additionally, during the evacuation from the centre of the pitch to the ambulance, the player was carried on a spinal board by individuals who were moving at a jog. The manner in which the patient was transported, which should never have been carried out in such a way, was highly dangerous to their physical well-being according to evaluators reviewing the safety protocols.

Details of the Pitch Incident Involving Jesus Owono

Equatorial Guinea international Owono, who has lived in Spain since he was eight, was sent off for kneeing Tenerife striker De Miguel in the chest near the halfway line deep into second-half stoppage time. The match was suspended when the two sides were drawing 2-2. Jesus, whose partner Maria and one-year-old daughter Carla were watching from the stands, was reportedly revived by paramedics on the pitch after going into cardiac arrest before being rushed to hospital.

His club confirmed that he had died at a hospital in the Tenerife capital Santa Cruz, saying they were heartbroken and had a lump in their throats. A statement released after revealing his neurological condition had worsened expressed profound sorrow, noting that CD Tenerife announced the tragic passing of Jesus de Miguel Alameda. The family expressed gratitude for every single gesture of support received and requested the utmost respect for their privacy during these terrible times.

Owono is reportedly seeking to apologise to De Miguel's family before making any kind of public statement. FC Andorra, reacting to news of the Tenerife striker's death in hospital, extended deepest condolences to the family of Jesus de Miguel, all his colleagues and friends, and to CD Tenerife.

Funeral Arrangements and Tributes From Across Spain

De Miguel's body is expected to be flown to the Spanish mainland so his funeral can take place in the town where his parents hail from. His mother and father travelled to Tenerife after being told about the severity of his injuries before confirmation of his death. They will make the reverse trip to Madrid before travelling to Navahermosa in the province of Toledo, 80 miles southwest of the Spanish capital, which they have chosen as the place for the player's funeral.

Town hall officials in Navahermosa, which has a population of just over 3,500 inhabitants, expressed deep sorrow at the tragic outcome. Emiliano Garcia-Page, president of Spain's Castilla-La Mancha region which includes Navahermosa and the province of Toledo, also shared his condolences, stating that the passing of the footballer while doing what he loved most was heartbreaking news. The entire CD Tenerife squad will travel to Navahermosa to pay their respects to their teammate, and flags outside the town hall flew at half-mast.

Judicial Process and Next Steps in the Investigation

The National Police in the island capital Santa Cruz have yet to release an official statement about its ongoing probe, but a force spokesman confirmed that an investigation is underway into the circumstances surrounding the incident which led to Jesus de Miguel's death. The report police will draft following their probe will be submitted to a local judge, who will decide whether to take the matter further.

A Canary Islands court source described the collision between the two footballers as an accidental collision on the playing field. However, any death not resulting from natural causes, referred to as a forensic death, whether due to an accident or other factors, automatically triggers a judicial investigation. Court officials stated they were not able to comment on when they expected to receive the police report into the drama, noting that the investigation remains in the hands of police until officers complete their work.