Australians fight for life after 5m fall in Croatia
Police say two Australians were intoxicated when they fell from a popular medieval clifftop fortress on the sea front area near Dubrovnik.
Two Australians have been seriously injured after falling about ten metres from a popular medieval clifftop fortress on the sea front area near Dubrovnik, Croatia in the early hours of Saturday.
A woman, 26, is in a critical condition fighting for her life in intensive care at Dubrovnik General Hospital while her 34 year old male companion has undergone emergency surgery and is in a serious condition.
Trauma specialist Dr Ivan Benčić told Croatian public broadcaster HRT the woman had critical brain and skull injuries, and had fractured several vertebrae and her neck.
Dr Benčić said she was in a “bad state” due to her head injuries while the male patient was in better condition having already undergone surgery.
The accident occurred just before 2.30am in Pile, an ancient fort between the areas of Dubravka and Nautika when the couple were leaning against a wall. Eyewitnesses have told the police both of the Australians fell when one of them leaned into the other.
Dubrovnik-Neretva police have ruled the injuries were caused accidentally, and were as a result of heavy intoxication. The women’s alcohol reading was 0.3, a level where blackouts can occur.
The man’s reading was 0.21.
Police have not yet released the names of the couple.
Dubrovnik-Neretva police spokesperson Andrijana Biskup told Dubrovačka televizija the couple were likely cuddling or kissing at the time the accident occurred. They are not treating the incident as suspicious, the spokesperson said.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said they were providing consular assistance to the two Australians injured in Croatia.
“Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment,” a DFAT spokesperson said.
The accident happened near Fort Lovrijenac, where the Game of Thrones was filmed and is popular among tourists.
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