Avalanche Victim Prince Dies After 18 Month Coma
Avalanche Victim Prince Dies After 18 Month Coma
Published : 14-Aug-2013 04:54
Prince Johan Friso of the Netherlands has died 'unexpectedly' due to complications after spending 18 months in a coma after being caught in an avalanche in the Austrian Arlberg.
The 44 year old prince had been in hospital in London for much of the time since his accident in Lech in February last year when he was buried beneath the snow for around 15 minutes. He had been moved back to the Netherlands last month.
"Prince Friso has died of complications related to the hypoxic brain injury, which he suffered as the result of his skiing accident in Lech, Austria on 17 February 2012," a Dutch royal palace statement said.
Prince Friso's elder brother Willem-Alexander became king in April after the abdication of Queen Beatrix and said at the time that the family lived in a "terrible situation."
Prince Friso had been skiing off piste with friends. He was wearing an avalanche transceiver allowing him to be found quite quickly but even so doctors in Innsbruck said he had suffered massive brain damage and a prolonged heart attack.
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