Witnesses expressed their shock after the West Ham United player, Michail Antonio, was extracted from his vehicle by emergency services following a car crash.
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The incident occurred in Essex on Saturday afternoon, with West Ham confirming the news in an initial statement. ..Continue Reading
Later updates revealed that Antonio was taken to a hospital after emergency personnel spent nearly an hour rescuing him from the vehicle.
The father of four is currently receiving care in a central London hospital, with witnesses reporting that he lost control of his car and crashed into trees in Theydon Bois, Essex.
One onlooker told The Sun: “There were other cars stopped and people were on their phones calling 999.
“It was awful weather, rain, wind and very slippery on the road. It didn’t look like another car was involved. It looked like it had spun out of control.
“I only found out later who he was. I hope he’s OK.”
Another added: “The right wing [of the car] was ripped off, as well as the right front wheel and driver’s door.
“I could see firefighters had to cut away parts of the car to get him out.”
West Ham said in a statement on Saturday: “We can confirm that Michail Antonio is in a stable condition following a road traffic accident in the Essex area.
“Michail is conscious and communicating and is currently under close supervision at a central London hospital.
“The thoughts and prayers of everyone at the club are with Michail, his family and friends.
“The club will make no further comment this evening but issue a further update in due course.”
While Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said: “Crews were called at 1.02pm. Firefighters reported that a man was trapped in his car and worked to release him by 1.45pm.
“The casualty was left in the care of the Ambulance Service.”
Antonio was set to play in West Ham’s crucial Monday night match against Wolves, with both teams battling to avoid relegation in the Premier League.
Born in Wandsworth, Antonio debuted for West Ham in 2015 and has accumulated 323 appearances for the club since then.
