DailySun
West Ham United forward Michail Antonio was rescued from the wreckage of his £260,000 Ferrari after a serious accident yesterday.
Following nearly an hour of efforts by emergency services to extricate him from the badly mangled vehicle, the 34-year-old was airlifted to a hospital.
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Antonio reportedly suffered serious injuries after colliding with trees in Theydon Bois, Essex.
Images from the scene depicted his £260,000 Ferrari FF mangled against the trees after it left the road around 12:50 PM.
Motorists nearby alerted fire crews, who managed to rescue the father of four by 1:45 PM.
He was then flown to a hospital in central London.
READ MORE ON MICHAIL ANTONIO
His former wife, Debbie, traveled from her residence in Manchester to be by his side during this critical time.
A source shared with The Sun on Sunday: “He is in a serious condition.
“He is conscious and can communicate, yet everyone at the club is immensely concerned. We’re all just hoping for his recovery.”
Witnesses reported seeing grey smoke emanating from the vehicle after the crash in Theydon Bois, an area close to West Ham owner David Sullivan’s home.
One observer recounted: “Numerous cars had stopped, and many were calling for emergency assistance.
“The weather was terrible; it was pouring rain with strong winds, making the road extremely slick. It didn’t seem like another vehicle was involved, as it looked like it had lost control.”
West Ham player Michail Antonio impacted by horrific car crash
“I later discovered who he was. I truly hope he’s alright.”
Another motorist described the extent of the damage: “The right wing, the right front wheel, and the driver’s door were all torn off.
“I could see that the fire crew had to cut parts of the car to free him.”
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The Essex County Fire and Rescue Service stated: “Emergency crews were notified at 1:02 PM. Firefighters reported that a man was trapped in his vehicle and successfully freed him by 1:45 PM.
“He was subsequently taken care of by the Ambulance Service.”
The Ferrari FF, when released in 2011, was celebrated as the fastest four-seater car worldwide.
With a top speed of 208 mph, it can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in a remarkable 3.7 seconds.
West Ham United released a statement: “We confirm that Michail Antonio is currently stable after a road traffic incident in Essex.
‘Thoughts and prayers’
“Michail is alert, engaging with medical staff, and is currently being closely monitored at a London hospital.
“The club’s thoughts and prayers are with Michail, his family, and friends.”
“We will not provide any further comments this evening but will issue an update when appropriate.”
West Ham’s next Premier League match is scheduled against Wolves tomorrow evening.
The South London native had previously been involved in an accident with a Lamborghini in 2019.
Antonio began his career at the non-league club Tooting & Mitcham.
Emergency services responded to the scene, and the driver was transported to the hospital.
Essex Police
He transferred to West Ham from Nottingham Forest in 2015 for a fee of £7 million, becoming the club’s all-time top scorer in the Premier League with 68 goals from 268 matches.
While he was selected three times for the England squad, he never took to the pitch. In 2021, he chose to represent Jamaica, his family’s heritage.
Antonio is now divorced from Debbie, whom he married in 2017, and co-hosts the BBC’s Footballer’s Football podcast alongside Newcastle’s Callum Wilson.
The Essex Police have initiated an investigation and are asking for witnesses and any dashcam footage.
The force remarked: “We received reports shortly after 12:50 PM on Saturday, December 7, regarding a single-vehicle collision involving a Ferrari.
“Emergency services arrived promptly, and the driver was taken to the hospital.”
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Past Christmas accident in Lamborghini
MICHAIL Antonio was previously involved in another supercar mishap—this time in his £210,000 Lamborghini.
He attributed the collision to icy conditions when he crashed into a garden wall on Christmas Day in 2019 while dressed as a snowman.
He later recounted: “I was probably traveling at about 30, maybe 35, on a road with a 30 mph limit.
“The car handled turns so well that I felt I didn’t need to brake; I could simply navigate the corner without any problems; it’s an incredible car.
“But as I turned, it skidded. I panicked and hit the brakes.
“That’s the worst thing you can do on ice; braking makes you accelerate. It was chaotic—and just then, I was in a snowman costume.”
He emerged from that incident unharmed and played for West Ham the very next day in a 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace.
By Len Read
