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| Michael Schumacher in critical state after injuring head in skiing accident | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Formula One great Michael Schumacher has been undergoing medical tests after being airlifted to hospital in Grenoble with head injuries sustained in an off-piste skiing accident at a chic resort in the French Alps. | |
| Jean-Marc Grenier, a spokeman for the hospital, read a statement on Sunday night which had been agreed with Schumacher's family. | |
| "Mr Schumacher was admitted to Grenoble hospital at 12.40pm following a skiing accident in Meribel twoards the end of the morning. On his arrival, he was suffering from severe head trauma, with a coma, which required immediate neurosurgical intervention. He remains in a critical state." | |
| The Grenoble-based newspaper Le Dauphiné Libéré said that, according to unnamed sources, the retired world champion's injuries had worsened and were now "life threatening". Other French media reported that he had suffered a brain haemorrhage. | |
| Top brain surgeon Gérard Saillant arrived at the hospital from Paris to attend to Schumacher, who had been wearing a helmet when he fell on his head on the unmarked slope at the Méribel resort on Sunday morning. Saillant is a family friend who had treated Schumacher following an accident at Silverstone in 1999. | |
| A passing skier raised the alarm within minutes of the accident, said Olivier Simonin, director of Méribel Alpina, who is in charge of security and ski lifts at the site. "The skier alerted mountain rescue just a few hundred metres below where he fell," Simonin said. | A passing skier raised the alarm within minutes of the accident, said Olivier Simonin, director of Méribel Alpina, who is in charge of security and ski lifts at the site. "The skier alerted mountain rescue just a few hundred metres below where he fell," Simonin said. |
| Two rescuers had gone to the scene, where Schumacher had been skiing with his 14-year-old son, and called in two others to help evacuate the injured sportsman, he added. Schumacher remained conscious after the accident. | Two rescuers had gone to the scene, where Schumacher had been skiing with his 14-year-old son, and called in two others to help evacuate the injured sportsman, he added. Schumacher remained conscious after the accident. |
| Simonin said it was not known whether Schumacher hit his head on a rock. "All we know is that he hit his head," he said. | Simonin said it was not known whether Schumacher hit his head on a rock. "All we know is that he hit his head," he said. |
| Schumacher's spokeswoman, Sabine Kehm, issued a brief statement confirming the accident and that nobody else was involved. "Michael fell on his head when he was on a private skiing trip in the French Alps. He was taken to hospital and is receiving professional medical attention. We ask for understanding that we cannot give out continuous information about his health," the statement said. | Schumacher's spokeswoman, Sabine Kehm, issued a brief statement confirming the accident and that nobody else was involved. "Michael fell on his head when he was on a private skiing trip in the French Alps. He was taken to hospital and is receiving professional medical attention. We ask for understanding that we cannot give out continuous information about his health," the statement said. |
| Méribel director Christophe Gernignon-Lecomte told Radio Monte Carlo Schumacher "was in shock, somewhat shaken, but conscious" when he was taken to the nearest hospital, at Moûtiers, before being helicoptered to Grenoble. He also said that Schumacher's head injury was "not serious", but a resort spokesman said later that the Méribel officials were waiting for a fuller medical report. | Méribel director Christophe Gernignon-Lecomte told Radio Monte Carlo Schumacher "was in shock, somewhat shaken, but conscious" when he was taken to the nearest hospital, at Moûtiers, before being helicoptered to Grenoble. He also said that Schumacher's head injury was "not serious", but a resort spokesman said later that the Méribel officials were waiting for a fuller medical report. |
| The Dauphiné Libéré, which is generally well informed, reported after his transfer to Grenoble that Schumacher was suffering from a "severe brain trauma" but that his injuries were "not life threatening". But that prognosis changed during the day. | The Dauphiné Libéré, which is generally well informed, reported after his transfer to Grenoble that Schumacher was suffering from a "severe brain trauma" but that his injuries were "not life threatening". But that prognosis changed during the day. |
| The Grenoble hospital specialises in skiing-related accidents. A small number of Schumacher fans gathered outside the hospital as they waited in vain for news. Olivier Panis, a former Formula 1 driver from Grenoble, was unable to visit Schumacher. | The Grenoble hospital specialises in skiing-related accidents. A small number of Schumacher fans gathered outside the hospital as they waited in vain for news. Olivier Panis, a former Formula 1 driver from Grenoble, was unable to visit Schumacher. |
| Schumacher was skiing in clear and sunny conditions close to one of the resort's most difficult pistes in the Three Valleys, enjoyed by the world's most accomplished skiers, when he fell. Méribel, where the former champion owns a chalet, is one of the top ski resorts in the French Alps. | Schumacher was skiing in clear and sunny conditions close to one of the resort's most difficult pistes in the Three Valleys, enjoyed by the world's most accomplished skiers, when he fell. Méribel, where the former champion owns a chalet, is one of the top ski resorts in the French Alps. |
| He was ski-ing off piste between the pistes La Biche and the more difficult runs of Mauduit, named after former French ski-ing champion George Mauduit. The slope, devoid of trees, where he and his son were skiing, is at an altitude of 2,100 metres is close to the luxury resort of Courchevel. The pair were about 20 metres away from the marked slope when Schumacher tumbled, according to Simonin. | He was ski-ing off piste between the pistes La Biche and the more difficult runs of Mauduit, named after former French ski-ing champion George Mauduit. The slope, devoid of trees, where he and his son were skiing, is at an altitude of 2,100 metres is close to the luxury resort of Courchevel. The pair were about 20 metres away from the marked slope when Schumacher tumbled, according to Simonin. |
| Sunday's weather in Méribel was clear and sunny, although resort spokesman Julien Clatot said that there was a "very high" risk of avalanches because of heavy snowfall over the last two days. Like other Alpine resorts, Méribel discourages off-piste skiing, which should not be undertaken without a guide. | Sunday's weather in Méribel was clear and sunny, although resort spokesman Julien Clatot said that there was a "very high" risk of avalanches because of heavy snowfall over the last two days. Like other Alpine resorts, Méribel discourages off-piste skiing, which should not be undertaken without a guide. |
| Schumacher retired for the final time in 2012 after a three-season Formula One comeback with Mercedes. He was seven times Formula One world champion. His 45th birthday is on Friday. | Schumacher retired for the final time in 2012 after a three-season Formula One comeback with Mercedes. He was seven times Formula One world champion. His 45th birthday is on Friday. |
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