A 13-year-old suffered serious injuries while swinging in Kapfenstein (Southeast Styria district) on Saturday afternoon. He was flown to the children’s hospital.
At around 4.15 p.m., the 13-year-old from the district of Southeast Styria stood on a so-called “roll over swing” and wanted to prove his skills at a family celebration. He was attached to the swing with both feet in a freestyle binding and his hands with cuffs on the frame. As a result of the rotation, it reached a height of around six meters.
During one turn he suddenly stopped holding on to the rods, whereupon both cuffs tore and the boy was unbalanced. As a result of the forces acting on him, he broke both of his lower legs and injured his upper body. The family members released the boy from his restraint and alerted the rescue workers.
After initial medical care, the 13-year-old was flown to the Graz children’s clinic by the C12 rescue helicopter.