Jacob Nicol, a 22-year-old British engineer, was seriouslyinjured after falling overboard while working on the 82-meter M/Y Kibo near Palma, Mallorca, around 11:30local time on Sunday, May 3. Nicol is currently in a coma and remains in avegetative state, reports the British Telegraph.
Nicol, the third assistant engineer on M/Y Kibo, was cleaning the hull of the yacht when the incident occurred. Reports claim he was struck in the head by the harness he was cleaning from as he fell, leaving him unconscious in the water.
The Telegraph maintains that Nicol was in the water for several minutes and drifted about 100feet away from the yacht before he was pulled to safety. He was recovered fromthe water by onboard divers, given CPR and transported to a nearby hospital foremergency treatment, states a Y.CO press release. According to family comments on a GoFundMe page, he remained at Hospital Universitari SonEspases in a coma for 10 days before being transported to Shropshire in theU.K., where he is undergoing treatment. He remains in a coma and has been declared brain damaged due to hypoxia, or drowning.
The Cayman Islands Flag State is currently conducting a fullinquiry into the incident, according to the Y.CO press release. More information will be posted as it becomes available. TheGoFundMe page “Justice for Jacob” has been established for support at www.gofundme.com/justiceforjacob, andlinks to the news reports and Y.CO’sstatement are below.
Y.CO: www.facebook.com/ycoyacht/posts/620010914801400
The Telegraph: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/11611747/Brit-sailor-in-coma-after-falling-from-super-yacht-while-cleaning-it.html
UH Sucesos, Mallorca: bit.ly/1FZZ1rq;bit.ly/1POernj