Man fighting for his life after canoe capsizes in River Severn near Bridgnorth
A man is fighting for his life in hospital after the canoe he was in capsized on the River Severn near Bridgnorth today.
The man suffered a cardiac arrest after the strong current carried him down the river at Hampton Loade and it took the emergency services around 20 minutes to locate him.
He was then found tangled in branches and was rescued by the emergency boat crew, then airlifted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham by air ambulance.
It is believed the man spent a lot of time under the water.
A second man, believed to be in his 60s, was also in the canoe when it capsized, but managed to get himself out the water.
He was treated for hypothermia at the scene before being taken to the Princess Royal Hospital for further treatment.
The incident happened at around 11.30am.
Steve Parry, spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service, said: "Crews arrived on scene after reports of a capsized canoe near Hampton Loade.
"One canoeist had already made his way to safety when crews arrived, but a second man was initially tangled in branches.
"He was later rescued from the water by emergency crews after a dramatic twenty minute search to locate him.
"A second man was recovered from the water by a fire rescue boat.
"He was found to be in cardiac arrest and ambulance crews treated him with advance life support procedures before he was airlifted to the regional trauma centre at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.
"The hospital was pre-alerted to the serious condition of the patient."
He added: "A man in his sixties escaped the fast flowing water and was treated for hypothermia before being taken by land ambulance to Princess Royal Hospital."
Four fire crews, along with a water rescue unit, from Bridgnorth, Much Wenlock and Shrewsbury were sent to the scene.
West Midlands Ambulance Service sent two ambulances, a paramedic support officer, a specialist hazardous area responder team, two community first responders and the Midlands Air Ambulance from Cosford to the scene.
Kieren Bodill, spokesman for West Mercia Police, said: "We were called to the scene just before 11.30am after reports of an accident on the River Severn.
"Two men were involved in the accident and both were taken to hospital."
