Where to Ski And Snowboard - Michael Schumacher in coma after ski fall

Michael Schumacher in coma after ski fall

29th December 2013, by Abi Butcher

Michael Schumacher owns a chalet in Méribel, where he was injured this morning

Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher has been injured in skiing accident in Méribel, and is reported to be in a critical condition.

The 44-year-old German was skiing with his son and friends when he suffered a head injury in a fall in the Three Valleys resort just after 11am today. He was flown by helicopter to hospital in Moutiers and then transferred to Grenoble.

A spokesman for the French Gendarmerie said the seven-time F1 world champion has “relatively serious” injuries but that he did not lose consciousness. Schumacher was wearing a helmet at the time. Later tonight it has emerged that the F1 driver has undergone surgery and is in a coma.

Oliver Desaulty, a spokesman for Méribel resort, said Michael Schumacher had been skiing “a bit off-piste” near the Dent de Burgin chairlift in Méribel.

Mr Desaulty told Sky News: “Michael Schumacher fell on the slopes. Well it was not really on the slopes – he was skiing a bit off-piste. (He was) close to a slope called Mauduit and he hurt his head.”

Schumacher owns a chalet in Méribel and is known to be a keen skier. He first retired in 2006 and retired for a second time in 2012.

There have been a high number of deaths in the Alps in recent days due to avalanches after heavy snowfall caused severely unstable conditions.