• The injured woman travelled in the island's only ambulance - dragged by a tractor
  • She had to travel to the nearest hospital in Guernsey by marine ambulance
  • The journey took nearly two hours
  • Nine tourists were treated in total

By Emma Clark

PUBLISHED: 04:50 EST, 27 June 2012 | UPDATED: 09:17 EST, 27 June 2012


A tourist who died after being thrown from a horse-drawn carriage was forced to travel in a make-shift ambulance pulled by a tractor because the island bans cars.

Swiss national Dora Jufer, aged 68, endured close to a two-hour journey by land and sea to reach the nearest hospital in Guernsey, where she later died.

Seven other tourists and the driver of the carriage were also treated for injuries, including one male with serious head injuries, following the incident at around 12.15pm yesterday.

The casualties endured a 25 minute journey in a marine ambulance before arriving at Guernsey, where they were taken to a hospital

The casualties endured a 25 minute journey in a marine ambulance before arriving at Guernsey, pictured, where they were taken to a hospital

The injured woman endured a journey in this trailor ambulance pulled by a tractor to the island's port before being transferred by sea to the nearest hospital in Guernsey

The injured woman endured a journey in this trailor ambulance pulled by a tractor to the island's port before being transferred by sea to the nearest hospital in Guernsey

The nine causalities were initially treated by the island's only doctor, Peter Counsell, who transported them to the port in the far from modern ambulance.

Guernsey's St John Ambulance and Rescue team travelled by marine ambulance to the island from its neighbour Guernsey, reaching the port close to an hour later.

Ms Jufer was treated on board by paramedics during the 25 minute sea journey, arriving at Princess Elizabeth Hospital just before 2pm.

She later died there, after suffering serious head injuries.

A second male tourist is also being treated for serious head injuries.

Some of the casualties travelled by sea for 25 minutes to Guernsey on board the Flying Christine III, the Guernsey Ambulance and Rescue's marine ambulance, pictured.

Some of the casualties travelled by sea for 25 minutes to Guernsey on board the Flying Christine III, the Guernsey's St John Ambulance and Rescue's marine ambulance, pictured.

The group were touring the island at Dos Dains, when the carriage appears to have hit a hedge and rolled over just after noon yesterday.

A further two carriages were also part of the tour, Canadian passenger Michael Seredynsky was in the front one.

He said: ''I suddenly became aware of the carriage behind us overtaking which, our driver remarked as it passed us, was very unusual.

'It sounded to me as if the horse was galloping. It went around a bend, we heard a crash and when we rounded the bend we heard people shouting and the carriage was on its side.'

Inspector Trevor Coleman, from Guernsey Police, said emergency responders, including Sark police constables and Sark Fire and Rescue Service, worked quickly in difficult conditions to help the patients on the island before they were transported.

Steve Ford, from Guernsey's St John Ambulance and Rescue team, said private boats had to be drafted in to help them collect the injured passengers from Sark.

This morning he confirmed that the woman who died was Dora Jufer, aged 67, from Melchnau in Switzerland.

He added: 'At about 12.15pm on Tuesday, June 26, an incident occurred at the Dos D'Ane, Sark involving a horse drawn van. The van was carrying a party of Swiss tourists.

'The van mounted a hedge and rolled onto its side.

'One woman sustained injuries that have subsequently proved fatal.

The woman died during a tour of Sark, the smallest of the Channel Islands, on a horse-drawn carriage

The woman died during a tour of Sark, the smallest of the Channel Islands, on a horse-drawn carriage

This map shows the two hour journey the casualties took to hospital.

This map shows the two hour journey the casualties took to hospital. The injured group travelled by tractor-drawn carriage from the scene of the accident in Le Dos D'ane in Sark, to the island's port. They were then collected by a marine ambulance and private boats for the 25 minute journey to St Peter Port in Guernsey. Finally, after a ten minute ride by a road ambulance, they arrived as Princess Elizabeth Hospital in Le Vauquiedor

'A second person, a male, has serious injuries and the others, including the driver, have sustained a range of other injuries.

'All of those involved were transferred to Guernsey by boat after having initial treatment in Sark.

'Emergency responders in Sark reacted to the incident within minutes and worked extremely well in very difficult conditions.

'Guernsey Ambulance and Rescue together with Police were invited to assist and travelled to Sark. Enquiries are continuing.

'Our thoughts are with those involved in the accident, especially the family of the deceased.'

Sark is one of the few remaining places in the world where cars are banned from roads and only tractors and horse drawn vehicles are allowed.

Part of the Channel Islands, the small islands has a population of about 600 with an area of just 5.5 square kilometres. It only has one school and is dependent on tourism.

An inquest into the woman's death is due to open in the next few days.

THE ISLAND OF SARK OVER THE CENTURIES

Sark is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown dependency in the English Channel.

The self-governing island became part of the Duchy of Normandy in 933 and over the following centuries the small island was fought over between the English and French.

The French left the island in 1549 and shortly after became Crown property once again.

During World War II, the island was occupied by German forces from 1940–1945, as were the other Channel Islands.

In 2008 the island changed its system of government in order to introduce a wider parliament, following pressure from the EU.

The island is a car-free zone, but tractors are allowed.

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Sark should have access to an air ambulance!

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Very unfortunate. Sark is a really nice place to have a look at though.

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Air ambulance ? All very very sad .

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