Horrifying moment top young gymnast, 14, plunges from circus high wires suffering serious injuries after a cable snapped during performance in Russia
- Alexey Sh, 14, plunged to the ground when his high wire belts came loose
- He sustained serious injuries and was rushed to hospital where he is in a coma
This is the horrifying moment a top young Russian gymnast fell from circus high wires suffering ‘serious head injuries’ when a cable snapped during a performance.
Alexey Sh, 14, plunged to the ground when his high wire belts came loose as he performed spins in Russian city Zarechny in Sverdlovsk region.
His young partner Kamilla was watching in the circus ring as part of the show and is seen fleeing backstage visibly shocked at his horrific fall.
Alexey lay motionless on the ground of the big top studio as medics rushed in.
He underwent emergency life-saving skull surgery and is due to be moved to a specialist hospital, and is currently in a coma.
This is the horrifying moment a top young Russian gymnast fell from circus high wires suffering ‘serious head injuries’ when a cable snapped during a performance
Pictured: Moments before the fall, 14-year-old Alexey Sh was seen performing on the high-wires in CCTV footage inside the theatre
Other young gymnasts are seen on footage from Mash Ural media looking on in horror as the medical team gives first aid to the stricken performer after his fall.
The young group is then ushered away from the distressing scene.
A female singer continues performing but suddenly turns and realises there has been a terrible accident behind her.
The show was halted after the tragedy.
The talented gymnast was hospitalised and left in a coma.
He suffered ‘brain contusions and a fracture of his temporal bone’, said reports.
He now remains in an artificial coma as doctors study his condition.
The gymnast had been to London on a tour in 2017 with his female partner, and a picture shows them outside Buckingham Palace.
The boy’s mother works at the circus headquarters but was on vacation and did not witness the fall, according to local reports.
Pictured: Alexey’s partner is seen reacting in shock as he slammed on to the stage
Pictured: Paramedics at the scene of the horrific fall work in the Russian theatre
Pictured: Alexey Sh (bottom) is seen performing with his partner
Police have seized the ‘defective equipment’ and videos of the incident.
A criminal case has been opened into ‘providing services that do not meet safety requirements’ and ‘negligently entail the infliction of grievous bodily harm to the victim’, it was reported.
A statement said: ‘An investigation is underway.’
The maximum punishment is up to six years in jail.
