‘Schumacher crashed after helping friend’

Grenoble, France: Michael Schumacher had his catastrophic ski accident just after stopping to help a fallen friend, his manager revealed.

Sabine Kehm said the former racing driver hit his head on a rock within moments of going to the aid of a member of his skiing party in the French Alps.

There have been reports that Schumacher had been travelling at up to 60mph when he crashed but Kehm denied this, describing what happened as ‘extreme bad luck and circumstances’.

She added: “He was not at high speed. He had helped a friend on the piste and then started again.

“He hit a rock he hadn’t seen when he went to do a curve and he was catapulted in the air and apparently, head down, hit another.”

A two-pronged police inquiry has been launched, conducted by the prosecutor in Albertville. The gendarmerie there is investigating the circumstances of the accident and will collect witness statements.

Mountain police in nearby Bourg-St-Maurice will collect technical data such as weather conditions, snow depth and quality.

— Daily Mail