Aussie tourists in critical condition after falling of a wall in Croatia

Pile Gate, main entrance to the Old Town Dubrovnik, with statue of Saint Blaise. Dubrovnik is famous touristic location in Croatia and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

An Australian couple holidaying in Croatia are in hospital after falling 10 metres from a wall in Dubrovnik on Saturday morning.

The couple, a 34-year-old man and 26-year-old woman, were taken to Dubrovnik General Hospital following the fall. The man has undergone surgery, while the woman remains in the intensive care unit in critical condition.

According to reports given to Croatian media outlet HRT from Dr Ivan Bencic, a trauma specialist at Dubrovnik General Hospital, said the woman had suffered cerebral damage and fractures in her vertebrae in the fall. She underwent multiple CT scans and had consultations lined up with a neurosurgeon, but her condition remains critical.

“We are constantly monitoring her and doing everything we can to fight for her life,” Brecic said.

“As far as the male is concerned he had a far better run than she did.”

It was reported by Croatian media that the pair fell off the 10 metre high wall in the medieval town of Pile at 2:25am on Saturday. The pair did not climb the wall but fell when the woman leaned on the man.

A spokeswoman for Dubrovnik-Neretva police, Andrijana Biskup, said that the couple were cuddling or kissing when the pair fell and that they may have been drunk.

Biskup said the man had a blood alcohol reading of over 0.2, while the woman’s was 0.3.

She confirmed that the fall is being treated as an accident and no criminal investigation is underway.

The couple are being assisted by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, however the department will not be sharing further information due to privacy concerns.


Featured Image: Pile Gate, main entrance to the Old Town Dubrovnik, with statue of Saint Blaise. Dubrovnik is famous touristic location in Croatia and UNESCO World Heritage Site. (iStock/Rudolf Ernst)

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