Dutch prince 'still in danger' after avalanche rescue
Source: Agencies |
February 19, 2012, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE second son of Dutch Queen Beatrix spent a stable night in the hospital after he was seriously injured in an avalanche, but his life remains in danger, the Netherlands government said yesterday.
Prince Johan Friso, 43, was rushed to the intensive care unit of Innsbruck's main hospital Friday after he was buried under snow. He had been skiing off marked trails in the westernmost Lech winter sports region.
The statement yesterday said "his life is still in danger, but he had a calm and stable night."
Hospital officials did not issue a statement on the prince's condition. The usually well-informed Dutch daily NRC Handelsblad said the prince suffered serious oxygen deprivation after being buried for some 20 minutes but has no other major injuries.
After rushing to the hospital from Lech Friday, the queen and Friso's wife, Princess Mabel, paid a renewed visit to the intensive ward where Friso was being treated. Both women were dressed in black and wearing sunglasses. Mabel put her arm protectively around the queen's shoulders as the two passed a line of waiting journalists without saying anything.
The prince was skiing with one companion away from marked ski runs when the mass of snow, 30 meters wide and 40 meters long, hit them around midday, the mayor of Lech told the Austria Press Agency.
The prince, who gave up his right to the throne a decade ago, was flown to the university clinic in the western city of Innsbruck. The queen and his wife were at his side, the Dutch government said in a statement.
The Dutch royal family often spends winter holidays in Lech in the province of Vorarlberg - which like other parts of Austria has been blanketed with heavy snow recently.
Many parts of the country have avalanche alerts in effect, but some adventurous skiers still venture off piste. In Lech, the alert level was four on a scale of five at the time.
A second Dutch government statement suggested it could take days before doctors would have a clearer picture of the prince's medical prognosis.
"The rescue chain functioned perfectly and worked within a short time," a police official said. "After the emergency call, rescue crews were on the scene with rescue helicopters. He could be located immediately and freed."
Johan Friso gave up his right to the Dutch throne when he married a commoner whose past was considered too tainted for her to become a member of the Dutch royal house.
Prince Johan Friso, 43, was rushed to the intensive care unit of Innsbruck's main hospital Friday after he was buried under snow. He had been skiing off marked trails in the westernmost Lech winter sports region.
The statement yesterday said "his life is still in danger, but he had a calm and stable night."
Hospital officials did not issue a statement on the prince's condition. The usually well-informed Dutch daily NRC Handelsblad said the prince suffered serious oxygen deprivation after being buried for some 20 minutes but has no other major injuries.
After rushing to the hospital from Lech Friday, the queen and Friso's wife, Princess Mabel, paid a renewed visit to the intensive ward where Friso was being treated. Both women were dressed in black and wearing sunglasses. Mabel put her arm protectively around the queen's shoulders as the two passed a line of waiting journalists without saying anything.
The prince was skiing with one companion away from marked ski runs when the mass of snow, 30 meters wide and 40 meters long, hit them around midday, the mayor of Lech told the Austria Press Agency.
The prince, who gave up his right to the throne a decade ago, was flown to the university clinic in the western city of Innsbruck. The queen and his wife were at his side, the Dutch government said in a statement.
The Dutch royal family often spends winter holidays in Lech in the province of Vorarlberg - which like other parts of Austria has been blanketed with heavy snow recently.
Many parts of the country have avalanche alerts in effect, but some adventurous skiers still venture off piste. In Lech, the alert level was four on a scale of five at the time.
A second Dutch government statement suggested it could take days before doctors would have a clearer picture of the prince's medical prognosis.
"The rescue chain functioned perfectly and worked within a short time," a police official said. "After the emergency call, rescue crews were on the scene with rescue helicopters. He could be located immediately and freed."
Johan Friso gave up his right to the Dutch throne when he married a commoner whose past was considered too tainted for her to become a member of the Dutch royal house.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
