Moped accident in Bali leaves couple in critical condition
A horrific road accident in Bali has left a young couple in a critical condition after the moped they were on collided with a car and another moped in Kerobokan, North Kuta.
The incident on June 12 left Alex Hoyle, 29, in a coma after smashing his head, fracturing his jaw and breaking his cheek bone, while his 27-year-old girlfriend Joella Senior suffered broken arms, a damaged rib cage and fractured pelvis, according to reports.
The British couple were only three days into their dream holiday, according to friends who are still "in utter disbelief," one said.
"Me and my partner Oli chatted to them that day and they were both having the best time on a holiday of a lifetime," Georgie Seel, a friend of the couple, told Nottinghamshire Live.
"They’d gone out for two weeks in Bali on their first proper getaway together, and this happened on their third day. I knew something was serious when I was asked to get Alex’s mother’s phone number."
Friends' plea for injured couple
Desperate friends and family have launched a fundraiser to help cover the cost of medical treatment and bring the pair home back to England.
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Describing their condition, a friend Oliver Rowland explained that Mr Hoyle is still in ICU after undergoing six hours of surgery for his broken bones. His liver and lungs are also damaged.
"The family are also waiting on results from a CT scan where a head injury has been identified however the impact of these head injuries are still under investigation which is understandably causing huge anxiety for everyone," he said on the fundraiser page.
Ms Senior is in a slightly better condition, according to reports, and is able to talk after having major surgery on her broken bones.
"Joella's operations to repair her displaced fractures in both her lower arms, stabilise fractures to the vertebrae as well as plating her collar bone and cheekbone have all gone really well," her friend wrote.
"Whilst the operations were a success Joella's road to recovery is still very long, and she finds herself in a tremendous amount of pain post-surgery as her body tries to recover from the stress that the operations have put her under."
Mr Hoyle’s family are at his bedside, while Miss Senior’s family are on the way, local reports confirmed.
Collison was 'inevitable', authorities say
Speaking after the incident, Badung Police Chief Public Relations, Iptu Ketut Sudana, said the collision was "inevitable" and reminded tourists to prioritise safety while driving on the island.
Mr Sudan said the couple was driving behind another moped, and when that moped attempted to make a right turn, Mr Hoyle and Ms Senior swerved to avoid clipping their back wheel.
On swerving, they fell from the moped and collided with an on-coming car, local news outlet Bali Sun explained.
Just this week, one person died and another three were injured following another traffic accident involving two motorcycles in Klungkung, Bali.
Klungkung Police’s traffic unit chief Wahyu Joko Nugroho said none of the victims were wearing helmets at the time.
The driver of one motorcycle, a 54-year-old man, was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital due to suffering head trauma, according to local news outlet Coconuts Bali.
The others suffered various injuries, many on their head and limbs.
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