Skiing accident Prince Willem Friso

In summary, Prince Willem Friso, the second son of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and an engineer, was caught in an avalanche while skiing off-trail in Austria. He was successfully resuscitated but may have suffered brain damage due to lack of oxygen. The Netherlands is deeply concerned about his condition. Additionally, there is some debate about the circumstances of the accident, as it was a signed side-branch of the regular route. There have been other cases of people surviving hypothermia and lack of oxygen for extended periods of time, but it is uncertain if the same will happen for Prince Friso. Unfortunately, he has suffered severe brain damage and it is unclear if he will ever recover from his coma.
  • #1
Andre
4,311
74
For all the royalists, the second son of Queen Beatrix, prince Willem Friso (engineer degree) has been in a skiing accident. He was caugh by an avalange during off track skiing in Austria.

His vitals are stable but he had to be reanimated and his brains may have suffered lack of oxygen for a critical period of time. The propects are unsure.

The Netherlands is pretty upset.

Hang in there, Friso
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Best wishes to him. Skiing the back-country is exciting, but it can be very dangerous, too.
 
  • #3
There is some discussion whether it was really off-track, apparently it was a signed side-branch of the regular route.

I'm not sure about the chances of someone being stuck in very heavy snow for 20 minutes, they appear very slim to me. His body temperature is now being kept at 30oC / 91.4oF for 2-3 days to allow the body tissues to recover slowly, really a low temperature.
 
  • #4
Miracles happen. On February 3rd a 13 years old boy tried to help his colleague drowning under ice. He helped the other guy, but was not able to get out from the water himself. Before the help arrived he spent 25 minutes under ice, with body temp falling to about 20 deg C. He left the hospital this week, the only know problem being he is not (yet) able to fully straighten out fingers in his right hand.

http://media.wp.pl/kat,1022943,wid,14222082,wiadomosc.html?ticaid=1df16 - in Polish only.
 
  • #5
Borek said:
Miracles happen. On February 3rd a 13 years old boy tried to help his colleague drowning under ice. He helped the other guy, but was not able to get out from the water himself. Before the help arrived he spent 25 minutes under ice, with body temp falling to about 20 deg C. He left the hospital this week, the only know problem being he is not (yet) able to fully straighten out fingers in his right hand.

http://media.wp.pl/kat,1022943,wid,14222082,wiadomosc.html?ticaid=1df16 - in Polish only.

No miracles I'm afraid. He suffered severe brain damage and it's unclear if he will ever wake up again out of coma
 

1. What caused the skiing accident of Prince Willem Friso?

The skiing accident of Prince Willem Friso was caused by an avalanche that occurred on February 17, 2012 in Lech, Austria. The prince was skiing off-piste (off the marked ski slopes) with a group of friends when the avalanche struck.

2. What injuries did Prince Willem Friso sustain from the skiing accident?

Prince Willem Friso suffered severe brain damage from lack of oxygen while buried under the snow. He also suffered a broken collarbone and a fractured skull. Unfortunately, he never regained consciousness and passed away on August 12, 2013.

3. Was anyone else injured in the skiing accident?

No, the prince was the only one injured in the skiing accident. His friends were able to ski to safety and were unharmed.

4. Was Prince Willem Friso an experienced skier?

Yes, Prince Willem Friso was an experienced skier and had been skiing since he was a child. He was also a member of the Dutch royal family, who are known to be avid skiers.

5. Has any safety measures been implemented after Prince Willem Friso's skiing accident?

Yes, after the skiing accident, the ski resort of Lech has implemented stricter safety measures, including increased avalanche control and mandatory helmet use for off-piste skiing. The Dutch royal family has also urged skiers to always follow safety guidelines and to stay on marked slopes.

Back
Top