NZ tourist nearly loses hand in yachting accident

Kiwi has six hours of surgery in Croatia after a freak accident aboard a yacht. Photo / Thinkstock

A New Zealand woman holidaying in Croatia is lucky to still have her left hand after she almost severed it in a freak accident.

The 28-year-old, understood to be called Amy, was on board a yacht in Palmizana Marina at the Pakleni Otoci islets near the island of Hvar when the accident happened.

It is thought that she cut her hand badly on a broken sink in the yacht's bathroom last Thursday.

She was flown by helicopter to KB Split Hospital, where she underwent six hours of surgery.

"When the [woman] arrived in hospital, her [hand] was connected with upper part of skin," a hospital spokesman said.

A hospital nurse said: "The first thing she asked after waking up from a surgery was whether she still had her left hand".

Doctor Zdravko Roje said surgeons managed to save the woman's hand.

Last night she was in the hospital's intensive care unit and was said to be recovering well.

Yesterday the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed it was aware of the case.

A spokeswoman told the Herald: "The New Zealand Embassy in Rome - accredited to Croatia - is providing consular assistance to the individual and their family".

Police have started an investigation into how the woman was hurt.

Croatian police said a British man was with the woman on the yacht and they were trying to track him down.

Police spokeswoman Marina Kraljevic Gudelj said: "We still did not manage to find him. We believe [the accident] was all just an unlucky case, but we would still like to talk to him."

The island of Hvar is a popular tourist spot. Many celebrities have holidayed on the island including Gwyneth Paltrow, Steven Spielberg and Prince Albert of Monaco.

Do you know this woman? Email: newsdesk@nzherald.co.nz

- additional reporting Vaimoana Tapaleao