West Ham star Michail Antonio was trapped in his Ferrari for 45 minutes after crashing it into a tree in Epping Forest, Essex, England, in what has now been described as a serious single-vehicle collision.
Emergency services responded to the incident on High Road, Coppice Row, at 1:02 pm. Firefighters worked diligently to free the 34-year-old striker using specialised cutting equipment. Antonio was eventually extricated at 1:45 pm and taken to a central London hospital.
In an update, Dailymail revealed that Antonio may have sustained injuries to both legs, including potential damage to a femur. Photos from the crash site show the severe impact on the right side of the grey Ferrari, which has since been recovered.
West Ham confirmed the Jamaican international’s involvement in the crash, adding that he is “conscious” and undergoing medical evaluation.
A full statement from the club reads: “West Ham United can confirm that Michail Antonio is in a stable condition following a road traffic accident this afternoon in the Essex area. Michail is conscious and communicating and is currently under close supervision at a central London hospital.
“At this difficult time, we kindly ask everyone to respect the privacy of Michail and his family. The Club will make no further comment this evening, but will issue a further update in due course.”
Essex Police have launched an appeal for dash cam footage to assist their ongoing investigation, which is being led by the Roads Policing Unit.
This marks the second high-profile car crash for Antonio. In 2019, he crashed a Lamborghini Huracan into a bin shed in Balham, south London, England, while dressed as a snowman.
Antonio previously opened up about the financial consequences of the crash.
“I was struggling to get insurance this year,” he said three years ago. “No-one wanted to insure me!
“I had to go to a specialist insurance company, so my insurance this year is a madness! I’ve got a G63 now. They were offering me £10,000 for an [Audi] A3 to insure, or get a G63 and pay double the price but get to drive a G63 instead of an A3. I’d rather pay £20,000 and drive a G63 rather than pay £10,000 and drive an A3.
“It was Christmas Day. Still to this day it has hurt me. I miss that car. Basically, I was driving but it was a slippery road. In the car it corners nicely and holds the road, so I was going 30-35mph on a 30mph road. As it holds corners I think I don’t need to break, I’m just going to go round the corner like I do all the time.
“But as I go round the corner, it skids. So as it skids, I s*** myself and I slam on the brakes – the worst thing you could do on ice as you just speed up when you’re meant to just go with it kind of thing. So I slam on the brakes, skid and go up on the curb – but I don’t really remember it, everything just happened so fast.
“Then smoke comes out of the front of the car, and the engine is in the back so I’m thinking ‘the car is gonna blow up!’, even though it’s just the airbags. So I’m having to jump out of the passenger side of the tiny car. It’s a madness. And the thing is, I was in a snowman costume as well. I don’t get why I didn’t take it off in there, sort it out.”
Antonio has been a crucial part of West Ham’s Premier League campaign this season, appearing in 15 matches and scoring once.
Fans and the football community are wishing him a speedy recovery.
