30/07/2013 00:00
TW
0

DOCTORS at Son Dureta hospital in Palma were yesterday battling to save the arm of a 46-year-old British water skier, seriously injured in a tragic accident in Andraitx Andrew John, a surgeon from Dagenham according to the police, was out water skiing yesterday morning with his wife and ten-year-old child when the accident happened. The accident happened at 10.10am at the mouth to the Port of Andraitx, near the big lighthouse.
According to his wife's statement to police, as she turned the power boat round to pluck her husband out of the water, she fell and hurt herself but her quick-thinking son turned the engine off. However, apparently they lost control of the launch which, with the propeller still spinning, drove straight over the 46-year-old Briton causing serious injuries to the left side of him, in particular, arm, leg and back. A Balearic University zodiac happened to be near the scene and noticed the woman and her son in distress.
Those on board raced to the scene, managed to lift the victim out of the water in to their zodiac and raced the Briton to port where he was treated in the launch by local doctor, Dr. Dominguez, but in view of the serious injuries an ambulance and parademics were called. Lifting the victim out of the launch and on to a stretcher was a complicated affair, primarily because of the severe pain Andrew John was suffering.
He was stabilised at the scene, where a large crowd of concerned people had gathered, before being rushed to Son Dureta hospital where doctors last night said that he had suffered serious multiple injuries and that they were worried about his left arm. He had lost a great deal of blood.
Both his wife and son were extremely distressed by the accident.
The Guardia Civil maritime unit is expected to open an inquiry this morning to establish exactly what happened.