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Dutch prince Johan Friso in coma after avalanche | Dutch prince Johan Friso in coma after avalanche |
(40 minutes later) | |
Dutch Prince Johan Friso, injured in an avalanche last week, is in a coma and may never regain consciousness, doctors treating him in Austria say. | Dutch Prince Johan Friso, injured in an avalanche last week, is in a coma and may never regain consciousness, doctors treating him in Austria say. |
Prince Friso, who had been on a skiing holiday in the Austrian resort of Lech, lay buried under snow for about 15 minutes before being rescued. | Prince Friso, who had been on a skiing holiday in the Austrian resort of Lech, lay buried under snow for about 15 minutes before being rescued. |
He was taken to hospital in Innsbruck after the accident, in which nobody else was hurt. | He was taken to hospital in Innsbruck after the accident, in which nobody else was hurt. |
The prince, 43, is the second son of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. | The prince, 43, is the second son of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. |
However, he is not in line for the throne since marrying in 2004 without the government's permission. | However, he is not in line for the throne since marrying in 2004 without the government's permission. |
Queen Beatrix and the prince's wife, Mabel, have been to visit him at Innsbruck's University Hospital, as have his brothers, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and Prince Constantijn. | |
A friend of the prince who was skiing with him at the time of the avalanche has been questioned by police. | |
'Heart attack' | 'Heart attack' |
He had been skiing with between one and three other people off the marked pistes when the avalanche hit shortly after midday local time last Friday, said resort officials. | He had been skiing with between one and three other people off the marked pistes when the avalanche hit shortly after midday local time last Friday, said resort officials. |
He was buried by an avalanche reportedly measuring about 30m (yds) wide by 40m long. | He was buried by an avalanche reportedly measuring about 30m (yds) wide by 40m long. |
A beeper he was wearing allowed rescuers to locate him quickly. | A beeper he was wearing allowed rescuers to locate him quickly. |
Speaking to reporters in Innsbruck, Dr Wolfgang Koller said it had taken nearly 50 minutes to revive the prince. | Speaking to reporters in Innsbruck, Dr Wolfgang Koller said it had taken nearly 50 minutes to revive the prince. |
MRI scans have shown his brain suffered "massive damage'' in the avalanche. | MRI scans have shown his brain suffered "massive damage'' in the avalanche. |
The prince will be moved at a later date to a private clinic for further treatment but it may take years before he awakens, if ever, the doctor said. | The prince will be moved at a later date to a private clinic for further treatment but it may take years before he awakens, if ever, the doctor said. |
"We cannot say today with certainty whether Prince Friso will one day regain consciousness," added Dr Koller, who is head of the trauma unit at the hospital. | "We cannot say today with certainty whether Prince Friso will one day regain consciousness," added Dr Koller, who is head of the trauma unit at the hospital. |
"In any case, a neurological rehabilitation will be required that will take months, if not years." | "In any case, a neurological rehabilitation will be required that will take months, if not years." |
The doctor explained that the prince's brain had been deprived of oxygen due to the amount of time spent under the snow. | The doctor explained that the prince's brain had been deprived of oxygen due to the amount of time spent under the snow. |
"This resulted in a heart attack that lasted about 50 minutes.... | "This resulted in a heart attack that lasted about 50 minutes.... |
"Fifty minutes of reanimation is very, very long, one might even say too long. | "Fifty minutes of reanimation is very, very long, one might even say too long. |
"Our hope was that the patient's mild hypothermia would provide some protection for the brain. This hope was not realised." | "Our hope was that the patient's mild hypothermia would provide some protection for the brain. This hope was not realised." |
'Saved by airbag' | |
The Dutch royal family regularly spends skiing holidays in Lech, in the western Vorarlberg province of Austria. | |
Florian Moosbrugger, owner of the hotel where the royal family stays, had been skiing with the prince, a childhood friend. | |
He survived the incident unscathed, having worn an avalanche airbag, and reportedly dug his friend out with his own hands and called the emergency services, the Austrian Times reports. | |
He has been questioned by police seeking to establish which of the skiers went down the slope first, and how the avalanche began. | |
Mr Moosbrugger, who could reportedly face charges of "unintentional grievous bodily harm in particularly dangerous circumstances", says he is totally innocent. | |
According to his mother Kristl, Queen Beatrix herself comforted him after he was questioned. | |
Kristl Moosbrugger has defended her son. | |
"No avalanche was coming downhill," she told Austrian broadcaster ORF. "There were also strong skiing traces in the snow. They felt sure." |