By Emilio Rappold

Palma de Mallorca (Spain) - More than 200 schoolchildren on a school trip have had a mass brawl in Mallorca .

The brawl took place inside a hotel in the municipality of Alcúdia and on the street in front of it, according to the local police.

Several young people were taken to hospital. One of them suffered a stab wound, but his life is not in danger. Alcúdia is located in the north-east of the Spanish vacation island.

According to reports in Mallorcan media, the local police had great difficulty in separating the quarrelling parties early on Wednesday morning, despite calling in reinforcements and support from the Guardia Civil police unit. The youths had also beaten each other with objects.

"It was total chaos", an official was quoted as saying by the newspaper "Diario de Mallorca". The reasons behind the incident remain unknown for the time being.

The accommodation has been home to around 2,700 students on a graduation trip since last week, according to the statement. There had already been several incidents there in the previous days, during which the police had been called in.

According to the media, the pupils who took part in the brawl came from various institutions on the Spanish mainland. Young people from Portugal are also said to have taken part. At the start of the season, Mallorca is almost as full at Easter as it is in summer.