Irish holidaymaker stranded in Spain after motorbike crash leaves family facing £13,000 repatriation bill

John Donaghey, an Irish tourist, is currently confined to a Spanish hospital following a motorbike accident that left him with severe injuries. The crash, which occurred on September 13, resulted in 11 broken ribs, a punctured lung membrane, and other significant injuries. Due to his condition, he is unable to return home with his family via air travel, leaving them with a medical repatriation bill estimated at £13,000.

John's wife, Grainnia, is by his side while he receives medical care in Spain. The hospital has stated that John cannot obtain a fit-to-fly certificate due to his respiratory issues, ruling out air ambulance transport. An air ambulance is also deemed unfeasible at this time. Sean Barr, a friend of John's, has launched a fundraising campaign to help cover the costs of a medically supported road ambulance journey back to Derry, Northern Ireland.

The fundraiser has raised £9,504 out of the £13,000 target, with 178 donations as of September 21. Medical repatriation can be prohibitively expensive, with recent cases in Portugal totaling over €108,566. The British government advises that an EHIC or GHIC does not cover repatriation costs. Travel insurance providers warn that policyholders must verify coverage for medical repatriation and post-treatment return to their home country in the event their original travel arrangements are no longer viable.