West Ham forward Michail Antonio was trapped in his wrecked Ferrari for almost an hour following a harrowing accident. The footballer was rushed to a central London hospital on Saturday afternoon after his car spun off the road in Theydon Bois, Essex.
Following the crash, West Ham confirmed that former Nottingham Forest striker Antonio was stable, "conscious and communicating". .
Essex Police received a call at 12.50pm on Saturday about a single vehicle collision on Coppice Row near Epping Forest. Images from the scene showed Antonio's silver Ferrari FF severely damaged, with the driver's side obliterated upon impact with a tree.
The luxury car, valued at £260,000 and capable of reaching speeds up to 208mph, had its right wing torn off, the door missing, and the windscreen shattered. Emergency services worked until 1.45pm, taking 55 minutes to free him from the debris before he was airlifted to the hospital.
An eyewitness described the scene to The Sun: "There were other cars stopped and people were on their phones calling 999," adding, "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.", reports the Mirror.
In a statement released on Saturday afternoon, West Ham said: "Michail is conscious and communicating and is currently under close supervision at a central London hospital."
The club has asked for Michail Antonio's family's privacy to be respected during this challenging time. No further comment will be made at this time, but an update will be provided in due course.
Essex Police released a statement saying: "Officers investigating a serious collision in Epping are asking for witnesses and dash cam footage."
"We were called shortly after 12.50pm on Saturday 7 December to Coppice Row, Epping, following reports of what is believed to be a single vehicle collision involving a Ferrari. Emergency services attended and the driver has been taken to hospital. The vehicle has been recovered and we are no longer on scene."
"An investigation will be carried out by our Roads Policing Unit. If you have any information, CCTV, dash cam or other footage in relation to this incident, then please get in contact with us."
"Please quote incident 605 of 7 December when providing any information to make sure it gets to the right person as quickly as possible. Alternatively, please email the investigating officer, PS Mark Hewitt."
Antonio was previously involved in a car accident on Christmas Day in 2019, when he crashed his Lamborghini while dressed as a snowman. The 34 year old striker is West Ham's record Premier League goalscorer and has made 15 appearances for the club this season.