E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Frank Van Beek / AFP - Getty Images, file
Prince Friso and Princess Mabel on a skiing trip with their daughters Luana and Zaria last winter.
Updated at 4:57 p.m. ET: An avalanche buried and seriously injured the second son of Dutch Queen Beatrix while he skied off marked trails Friday in the westernmost corner of Austria and he was rushed to the intensive care unit of an Innsbruck hospital, officials said.
The Dutch government, which initially said 43-year-old Johan Friso's life was in danger later issued an update saying "his condition is stable but not out of danger."
"Her Majesty the Queen and (Friso's wife) Princess Mabel are with Prince Friso," the Dutch statement said, adding that "doctors treating him will only be able to give a prognosis in a matter of days."
Stefan Jochum, a spokesman for the Lech ski area where the accident occurred, said Friso's condition was serious but his life was no longer at risk.
Jochum said the accident happened early Friday afternoon as the prince and other skiers were on slopes away from marked Lech ski runs and laden with snow after weeks of record falls.
The Lech municipal office said a regional avalanche warning issued for the day was four on the five-point scale, meaning the danger was high.
"A snow slide came down and the prince was buried as the only member of the group," said Jochum in a telephone interview. A rescue helicopter was on the scene within minutes, and after Friso was located, he was resuscitated on the scene and flown to the hospital, Jochum said.
The Austria Press Agency earlier cited Lech Mayor Ludwig Muxel as saying Friso was buried for about 20 minutes by a snow mass that measured more than 30 yards by 40 yards when it hit him.
Friso was in Lech with other members of the royal family. Friso, the second of Beatrix's three sons, married Dutch commoner Mabel Wisse Smit, in 2004. The pair have two daughters, Countess Luana, 6, and Countess Zaria, 5.
Most recently Friso has worked as financial director at Urenco, the European uranium-enrichment consortium.
The crucial moment in his life as a member of the Dutch nobility came with his 2003 engagement to then-commoner Wisse Smit.
After the pair announced their intention to marry in 2003, Dutch media revealed that Wisse Smit's previous friendships included contacts while she was in college with a well-known figure in the Dutch underworld, a drug dealer who was later slain.
The couple publicly acknowledged having been "naive and incomplete" during her vetting process before joining the royal family. Then-Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende signaled he could not recommend the marriage to parliament for approval.
They married anyway, a decision that meant Friso's removal from the line of succession.
The couple are still part of Beatrix's family and attend important royal functions. Mabel has been granted the title "Princess Mabel" and Friso has an array of noble titles, including "Prince of Oranje-Nassau" — but not "Prince of the Netherlands."
The Associated Press and msnbc.com staff contributed to this report.
More from msnbc.com and NBC News:
- 'Absolutely brilliant': NYT's Shadid remembered
- Strait of Hormuz: Iranians, smugglers and fireworks
- Robbers loot Greece's Ancient Olympia museum
- Pentagon details downsizing of US forces in Europe
- 1 year on, wounded photojournalist reflects on Arab Spring
Leave a Comment:
Why even report on this? No details and nothing confirmed...
The fact that there was such a serious accident with a member of the Dutch royal family is news in and of itself. I am Dutch and live in the US - found out through postings like this that it had happened.
It is news, not big news to most people. But it is of interest.
I did not know that Holland still had a royal house, or a Queen.
One who ski's a lot or sometimes, doesn't have to be a "Royal" to be buried under an Avalanche. This article is Newsworthy. Hopefully, the Prince will come out of his 'state"; and return to his family---Every sport has risk factors.
As skiers, one must take precautions, look at signs of warning areas that say "don't enter into this area", being very astute as to Mountain Conditions at the time. Usually there are warnings, but sometimes, it's like being caught in an Earthquake-
Snowboarding is a dangerous sport; many not paying attention to the heeds of the Patrols setting up signs of sliding snow ravines and temperature conditions.
Always check the Mountain Passes and Mountains on the Internet before leaving for changes in temperature and Avalanche conditions. Then take heed, or do not proceed.
Dutch women are the most beautiful in the world.
"The Lech municipal office said a regional avalanche warning issued for the day was four on the five-point scale, meaning the danger was high."
Why didn't this prince heed this advisory is what I want to know? Hope he's not their future king or Holland may be in trouble...he seems reckless...
Professor......apparently you haven't perused a national geographic lately.....you even get to check out some of the goods :-)
Non-first: No one would read the Article if the headline was "Dutch Prince Seriously Injured in Avalanche" -- "Buried" is a bit less truthful but more appealing
20 min! thats well into overtime he is damn lucky to be alive, amazed they could resuscitate him after that long.
Not-first gen was making the point--which you goo-goo-eyed royal watchers failed to grasp--that what the hell does it matter that a little-known European prince gets buried by snow? Why is this a featured story?
Dan,
Maybe not known to you, but loved nonetheless by millions of people.
I cant even force a tear into my beer over this one.
MSNBC — I see you changed the headline (mine at 1.7)
Every time they do that it messes up so many comments it is not funny.
The prince was reanimated and is stabilized, however still in a critical condition.
Locally an avalanche warning level 4 was issued. The avalanche involved was 100 feet wide and 120 feet long. Authorities state a 20 minute window in which the prince was covered in snow before freed.
Reanimated? I was unaware Dr. Frankenstein worked at that hospital.
Learn new stuff everyday bahahaha
K-man - probably the person responding was Dutch. Reanimated is the dutch term for resuscitated.
Where are all the Liberal nuts saying he had no right being there, and just cost the citizens of Austria money in emergency services? They are out in force if it happens here to anyone.
Why? Should have left him frozen.
Never mind, Derek is here. Oh, and Sharktopussie above. Knew they were coming.
Spot on. I watch too much "The Walking Dead" I guess. But as a Dutch myself I would have laughed if I had known the difference. So I apoligize for the possibly wrongful perception. Still, the prince is kept in coma as I perceive. The rest of the royal family is flown in as we speak. Serious business in the Netherlands.
neujkin!
Bawwwww, an aristocratic corporate bureaucrat in charge of the finances of a uranium-enrichment cartel got hurt while skiing in the Alps. Wait, wait, hang on for a sec while I cry big, warm, salty tears of infinite sorrow and remorse.
Oranien-Nassau Prince Friso is in critical condition in the University Hospital in Innsbruck,Austria He was buried under the snow- avalanche for 15 imnmutes until rescuers undug him. The avalanche was 30 m in width and 40 m in length- it had been snowing heavily in he last couple of days. The Dutch Royal family spend their vacation in Lech am Arlberg.(winter holidays). 15 minutes without oxygen inhaling can be very serious. Our best thoughts with Johan Freso-speedy recovery.
Thank you. This is the type of information that should have been included in the article.
My best thoughts are not with him. The world could use fewer people who think they have a special place in the world because they were born into a certain family.
I'm so glad you had the chance to meet him and his family and arrive at that conclusion. Without you, we'd have never known.
@Chris-629698: The world could also use fewer people who claim to know what other people think.
Who cares?
One prince less or one prince more makes no difference.
well, aren't you the heartless SOB???
You are an immature punk. Grow up or stay off line, you degenerate.
Yes, for those who just really started as a country a couple of hundred years ago, you would not understand "prince" "things" in history, but at least we learned over 1000 years ago not to go and plunder and kill people in other countries (like UK, several Scandinavian and even northern America--never mind Africa and many other places for something we want badly) -- not very civilized today----Was Bush not a prince? or was it Cheney?--Or were they just Nuke-liars?--Bush can actually say Nuclear now, but possibly he was saying all the time about Iraq "Nuke--liar"!, because they knew all the time they did not have any such weapons there.--Hans Blix told them as well!
That should be a sufficient answer to the average USA person, the same ones who tried to tell me recently that it is a privilege to be asked to come here from Denmark and teach science.--possibly that is why USA still goes to Germany to learn how to make computer chips, I must have been a failure years ago, in the worlds largest computer company!!
I don't know about that Bundgaard; I've read the Dutch East India tea company did some despicable things to control certain trade routes. It may not have been done directly by the Dutch gov't, but I'm sure they had the backing of the gov't.
Going back in history, no country is perfect. They all have their savage beginnings.
What Americans don't believe in, is that a person, by virtue of their birth, is somehow better than anyone else. We don't bow to titles. Therefore, while this guy getting buried could have been a tragedy to his family, which we can all empathize with, we don't care that he just happens to be a 'prince.'
Focus.de/panorama reports that the Mayor of Lech am Arlberg stated Prince Johan Friso was knocked out- bewusstlos and had to be resuscicated before helicopter flight to Innsbruck. He is not in any succession to Dutch throne since he married a commoner Mabel Wisse Smit. Any person -even Der-Eck -who is an Avalanche (Lawine/Lavine/)victim merits reporting since heavy snows can cause real lifethreatening circumstances even for those not on skis/luges- they might be inside inns/houses and be buried under the snow.
Actually, he is not in succession to the Dutch throne because he chose to step away from the line of succession. All Dutch princes currently are married to "commoners" including crown prince Willem Alexander.
What is this Royality BS???
Why ask Prince Vlad aka Count Dracula?
We have our own variety, only they're called "celebrities". Our governors order the flag flown at half staff when one of them kills themself with booze and drugs. Why don't they do the same for street people?
Why, does everyone have to be so mean on this site.
Just being human I guess??? I think alot of it comes from teenagers that are on the Vine??
Hope the Prince recovers fully.
I wouldn't call it "being human" regardless of the age of the poster, just immature and ignorant. It's just that very few people born in the last 30 years have any understanding of decency, tact or respect for anyone. They are too self absorbed. They have no priorities. I swear if Christ returned to earth he would get less media coverage than the deaths of Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston. May they rest in peace and rise in glory!
The answer is UNEDUCATED........ or BAD PARENTING......you could imagine getting a degree in imaginary
Dracula 's school.......
The supposed anonymity of the internet gives some people the power and balls to says things they would be to cowardly to say in front of real people. They know what they are saying is insensitive, cruel, demeaning, childish, or self-agrandizing and since they find no value in their own lives, they must create value by tearing others down.
"Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth."
Oscar Wilde
Read more:http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/o/oscarwilde104298.html#ixzz1mfE86YDa
You all suck :)
@spiritguy,
I'm thinking that this post from JQ is what you are referring to...???
Come on Dano, don't be a simpleton; clearly I was being sarcastic. The perceived anonymity of the Internet emboldens those that would hide behind a pseudonym to spew hatred and vitriol; we all know this. It's a liberating experience for many people to be able to say whatever they want without fear of consequence. They do not know how to handle the euphoric loss of inhibition. Like a drunk who thinks he can suddenly sing, they deceive themselves into believing they can form coherent, provocative thoughts and arguments then adroitly convey those thoughts and arguments to a mass audience. The problem is, more often than not posts ultimately equates to unintelligible nonsense and by the time you're halfway through the first sentence of their post you're just begging them to skip the BS and to go ahead and call the Dutch Prince a poopoohead. Ultimately, the goal of any comments section has become to pick a side, regardless of whether choosing a side is warranted, and make those who would oppose your views seem uneducated and morally bankrupt while espousing your own righteously intellectual virtues in the process. I even did it to Dano at the very beginning of this post. There's no stopping the train, you will never change how this works; so get all the way onboard or hop off.
Very sad. Prayers for his family for a good outcome.
I agree!!! Prayers that God will take good care of the little girls Daddy, the Prince.... God can and does heal!!!
Ditto !!!
Born into power/money.
Claim to fame - spawn of another social sponge.
The days of 'my friends are tougher than yours so I am in charge' is long past. (wait, that is almost the same as our system of 'Me and my friends have more money than you and your friends so we are in charge')
Please pardon my ignorance.
People are so cruel. I hope none of you ever meet a tragic situation. Different story then, eh?
Only so many can be born into royalty... life's not that kind for everyone and I'm guessing the comments you are seeing stem from the feeling of unfairness people get from this concept. I wish him well.
Hope he fully recovers. Looks as if he has a beautiful family to pull through for.
slow news day I see.
when I go on vacation I only get buried with work around the house. lucky guy......
YEAH!!! One less 1% in the world!
Really Rod? You give all your 99%s a bad name. What an insensitive and ignorant comment.
This is a man who is a father, and a husband, and a son. His family is is fear for his life. Have some respect.
You are an insensitive moron. So what if he's a member of a royal family and has more money than most of us ever will? Does he not deserve the thoughts and prayers of all of us? Put yourself in his families place; how would you feel if that was your brother, father, son, etc? Would you like it if people were saying that about them? How does it feel ROD????? Or should I call you NIMROD????? Do us all a favor, stop posting, you have nothing of value to offer.
Rod you're a moron. Do you even know who a 1%'er is? He's not American, Go educate yourself.
A human life is a human life, so lets not be so narrow minded.
Also the irony of the entire 1% thing, the majority of people in the US even those considered poor by western standards are still at least in the top 10% in wealth when compared with the rest of the world with a majority in the 1%. This we are the 99% and you are the evil 1% takes on an entirely different meaning if you are living in a third world country earning $1 a month.
Couldn't have said it better myself, Krestov. Rod, you ARE in the 1% as far as the rest of the world is considered.
My thoughts and prayers are with the prince and his family. I wish him a quick and total recovery. I am certain angels were watching over him as this could have turned out to have very tragic consequences.
Whether he is royalty is immaterial; he was buried under an avalanche and is in critical condition, and apparently not out of danger. That's what is the core of this story: his being buried, rescued, and treatment. Have some sympathy for his family, and for him. He is, after all, a human being. Or, if you were in the same situation as he, would you prefer that nobody give a damn about you and bad-mouth you? The royalty bit, again, is just incidental; he is a member of the Netherlands royal family but not in line for succession to the throne. Still, have some sympathy for him and for his immediate family.
you do realize that if it was you or I it would make the paper with it just saying that we were buried and rescued from an avalanche if it made it that far. There would be nothing of our social standing or our family. Avalanches happen everytime it snows on a moutain, if you're stupid enough to take the risk, then you reap what you sow. At least give the people who knock the snow off the mountain time to make sure the resort is safe.
So are you saying that if you were in the same accident that you would want your story to make the paper and be made public for everyone to know? You would have been treated with the same respect and care as he, if you were in that avalanche. But I guess you'd want to become a public spectacle afterwards? The reason it was made public is because he is a public figure. People who don't know him, follow his career and choices he makes so it would be fair for these people to know if something tragic happens to him. How else would those people know if it weren't for the news?
no I am saying if it were you or I it probably would only make the local paper of where it happen at, not national news ya twit. Who cares that he was a public figure to another country. He was stupid enough to get on a mountain with any calculation of risk to his life then he got what was coming to him. In other words don't take a risk with your life unless you are willing to suffer those consequenses. I always feel for a family that has a tragic lose but just like Whitney, she knew drugs were bad for her, but she kept doing them and now I'm suppose to feel sorry for her. Geeeesh
He took a stupid risk and suffered the consequences. Everybody gets the fact that he's lucky to be alive. So the news coverage is a good thing as it might make ordianary people think twice before they do the same. Being a handsome prince may be a lousy reason for making the national news, but good will come of it.
'He is, after all, a human being.'
There is absolutely no scientific proof that The Royals are human beings.
Your ignorance is duly noted, Freedomerodingway. Troll!
He was out there skiing while everybody else was working...
He was on vacation! He has a regular job and took time off to go on holiday with his family. That is something most people with jobs do!
does he, in fact, have a job any more than Prince Charles of England does?
Being a prince is a Fool Time Job.
Dereck, are you for real? You must have a very depressing and negative existence to be so nasty and mean. I suggest therapy.
I hope he recovers and prayers for him and his family.
He was on vacation with his family. What a bunch of ignorant Americans.
Hey Harry, just who are you to call anyone "ignorant". Maybe, you should look in the mirror.
Just try to ignore the rude comments and not associate them with all Americans. I am American and I hope he recovers fully from his injuries and lives a long and healthy life.
Anybody is allowed to post whatever they want. Even mean little teenaged girls and people who think they are the only ones who work for a living. All we can do is colapse the stupidity.
Yes, he was on vacation. Even the working class Americans get to go on vacation. He was not the only person out skiing while everybody else worked. Go to any ski resort in America that has snow and you will find people skiing. Being burried alive in an avalanche is a terrifying experience for anybody regardless of social status. If you get joy from other people's pain. That is a flaw in your character. Spewing vile hatred every chancce you get just makes you bitter and ugly. Go have your mommy make you some breakfast.
Harry....I understand your frustration, but please don't bunch all of us Americans together. I am just as disgusted by the immaturity and ignorance of many posters. Some Americans do read articles in their entirety and try to respond with knowledge and respect. I hope HRH recovers fully. The Dutch Royal family are a very approachable and genial family. Other royal families could learn lessons from them!
there are more positive than negative people in America and every other country! going online you don't get an accurate gauge of that since so many online say things to get a rise out of people and would never act or say these hateful types of things in their "real" lives. try to ignore them and don't paint all Americans with the same brush please. thank you.
I'm sorry but enough apologizing. F*&^ you Harry. Nobody cares what you think of Americans. If you derive your opinions of America from posts in the comment section of a news article then you're a moron. I feel bad for this man and his family but I could give a sh!t less of how some Euro trash douchebag perceives America. You're the ignorant ass!
Pretty hard up trying to tell this story....only about 100 words and they had to tell us twice he's the middle son...and then go on to give us the names (as if we care) of the older and youger sibblings - who apparently were not buried by an avalanche. What's up with that?
What is sad here (aside from the fact that two young girls and a wife almost lost--and may still lose--their father and husband) is that all of the cruel comments about how this is a good thing because he was born into prosperity or is part of the 1% are baseless. He did not ask to be a prince--like you said, he was born into it--so how is that his fault? Have you read ANYTHING about him before this piece? Do you know anything about his morals? Does he give to charity? Does he treat his family well? I don't know, and I doubt that you do either. Perhaps this isn't news; millions of people are in accidents every day, so I can see how one would be angered that this story is given press. But to say that he is "lucky" or that you are glad he was almost killed makes no sense, is cruel, and makes you look ignorant.
Count how many people said this was a good thing, not many at all.
A lot of HEARTLESS souls on this sight.
I hope for a good outcome for this man and his family.
Regardless of whether he's royalty or not, he's a husband, father, son, brother, friend. I pray for his complete recovery and for his family struggling during this difficult time.
If you don't care or have nothing nice to say then hit the "x" in the top right and go back to your pathetic life.
Oh...and he apparently has two girls and a wife who remains nameless.....but two brothers we're getting to know pretty well....
Try reading there gramps...
"Prince Friso and Princess Mabel on a skiing trip with their daughters Luana and Zaria last winter."
Oh wait... it appears you just want to contribute garbage so why read right?!
I tried to read, Sheila... And it says "Luana and Zaria" in the caption to the picture and "Emma and Joanna" in the body of the article. So what are the girls' names again?
sheila, "Oh wait... it appears you just want to contribute garbage so why read right?!" that is an obvious contribution of garbage.
And, does it dawn on you that grandfather may be a " husband, father, son, brother, friend" also?
You ask people to move on and get on with their pathetic lives, but yet you attack others. Practice what you preace.
sheila, he typed his comment before the latest article update. I believe he's just commenting on the fact that more information is being given about family relationships than the actual incident itself. again, he entered this comment before the article was updated to include all the information it has now.