KZN spear fisherman airlifted to hospital following horror head injury
A spear fisherman has been airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after he accidentally shot himself with a spear gun on the south coast.
It is understood that the 48-year-old man had been spear fishing at a beach in Scottburgh this morning.
"His spear gun was loaded and somehow it went off and the spear struck him on the side of the face," he said.
Jubilee Mthiyane, a lifeguard stationed at the Scottburgh Lifesaving Club, said they pulled the man from the water.
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Mthiyane says the man had been diving when he decided to swim down and retrieve sinkers."His spear gun was loaded and somehow it went off and the spear struck him on the side of the face," he said.
"We ran there and managed to call the paramedics. The spear was cut shorter to enable the medics to work. He was then taken to hospital."
WARNING: Sensitive viewers might find the below image disturbing.
Netcare911's Shawn Herbst says the spear fisherman suffered serious facial trauma.
"It was a penetrating injury. As far as we know, the spear had gone through the right side of his jaw."
"We will only know the full extent of his injuries once he has gone through surgery."
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Images from the scene show the man, still wearing his wetsuit, sitting on the beach after being pulled from the water.The spear appears to enter the right side of his face, below his cheekbone.
The tip of the spear exited the left side of his face at about eye-level.
A helicopter landed on the N2 freeway and airlifted him to hospital for further care.
