Alton Towers Crash Victim, Vicky Balch, 'Just Wanted To Die' While Waiting Hours For Rescue
Alton Towers Victim 'Just Wanted To Die' As She Waited Hours For Rescue
Kathryn Snowdon— The Huffington Post UK/ PA
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One of the victims of the Alton Towers rollercoaster crash who is facing the possibility of having her leg amputated said she "just wanted to die" as she waited hours to be rescued from the ride.
Her lawyer Paul Paxton said she is "battling" to save her leg following the crash, which led to fellow victim Leah Washington, 17, having her leg amputated above the knee.
Miss Balch was sitting in the front seats alongside Miss Washington, Miss Washington's boyfriend Joe Pugh, 18, who shattered his knee, and Daniel Thorpe, 27, a hotel assistant-manager from Buxton in Derbyshire who was treated for a collapsed lung and fractured leg.
Chandaben Chauhan, 49, of Wednesbury, West Midlands, also suffered injuries.
Speaking for the first time about the crash and the four-and-a-half-hour wait for rescue, Miss Balch told the BBC: "It felt like slow motion. We banged into the car in front. I felt the bars go into my knees; we moved backwards and the car went into us again.
"I passed out. I was awoken by Dan shouting my name. Everyone was screaming and I was in excruciating pain. I looked down and I could see blood all over.
"The bars were in my right knee.
"The only thought that was going through my mind for the hours and hours that we were stuck was that we were going to die. If I was going to survive I would never walk again, that was certain.
"I thought it was never going to end. I just wanted to die."
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16 Four Hurt In Alton Towers Rollercoaster Crash
The Smiler ride at an empty Alton Towers can be seen from the air as the attraction is closed to the public today following yesterday's accident on The Smiler ride. Staffordshire, England. June 3 2015. Alton Towers theme park could remain closed for days(01 of10)
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(credit:Alastair Johnstone / Newsteam)
Four Hurt In Alton Towers Rollercoaster Crash(02 of10)
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ALTON, ENGLAND - JUNE 02: Emergency services work at Alton Towers Resort where two carriages crashed today on June 2, 2015 in Alton, England. Four teenagers have have been seriously injured in a crash between two carriages on the Smiler rollercoaster ride at Alton Towers. Sixteen people were in one carriage while the other one was empty. The West Midlands Ambulance Service said of the 16 on the ride, four had serious leg injuries. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) (credit:Christopher Furlong via Getty Images)
Four Hurt In Alton Towers Rollercoaster Crash(03 of10)
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ALTON, ENGLAND - JUNE 02: The West Midlands Air Ambulance waits to ferry injured to hospital at Alton Towers Resort on June 2, 2015 in Alton, England. Four teenagers have have been seriously injured in a crash between two carriages on the Smiler rollercoaster ride at Alton Towers. Sixteen people were in one carriage while the other one was empty. The West Midlands Ambulance Service said of the 16 on the ride, four had serious leg injuries. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) (credit:Christopher Furlong via Getty Images)
Four Hurt In Alton Towers Rollercoaster Crash(04 of10)
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ALTON, ENGLAND - JUNE 02: Police is seen at the entrance of Alton Towers Resort on June 2, 2015 in Alton, England. Four teenagers have have been seriously injured in a crash between two carriages on the Smiler rollercoaster ride at Alton Towers. Sixteen people were in one carriage while the other one was empty. The West Midlands Ambulance Service said of the 16 on the ride, four had serious leg injuries. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) (credit:Christopher Furlong via Getty Images)
Four Hurt In Alton Towers Rollercoaster Crash(05 of10)
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ALTON, ENGLAND - JUNE 02: Emergency services work at Alton Towers Resort where two carriages crashed today on June 2, 2015 in Alton, England. Four teenagers have have been seriously injured in a crash between two carriages on the Smiler rollercoaster ride at Alton Towers. Sixteen people were in one carriage while the other one was empty. The West Midlands Ambulance Service said of the 16 on the ride, four had serious leg injuries. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) (credit:Christopher Furlong via Getty Images)
Four Hurt In Alton Towers Rollercoaster Crash(06 of10)
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ALTON, ENGLAND - JUNE 02: An ambulance drives past the Smiler roller coaster at Alton Towers Resort on June 2, 2015 in Alton, England. Four teenagers have have been seriously injured in a crash between two carriages on the Smiler rollercoaster ride at Alton Towers. Sixteen people were in one carriage while the other one was empty. The West Midlands Ambulance Service said of the 16 on the ride, four had serious leg injuries. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) (credit:Christopher Furlong via Getty Images)
Four Hurt In Alton Towers Rollercoaster Crash(07 of10)
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ALTON, ENGLAND - JUNE 02: An Air Ambulance leaves Alton Towers Resort on June 2, 2015 in Alton, England. Four teenagers have have been seriously injured in a crash between two carriages on the Smiler rollercoaster ride at Alton Towers. Sixteen people were in one carriage while the other one was empty. The West Midlands Ambulance Service said of the 16 on the ride, four had serious leg injuries. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) (credit:Christopher Furlong via Getty Images)
Four Hurt In Alton Towers Rollercoaster Crash(08 of10)
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ALTON, ENGLAND - JUNE 02: Ian Crabbe, director of Alton Towers gives a press conference at Alton Towers Resort on June 2, 2015 in Alton, England. Four teenagers have have been seriously injured in a crash between two carriages on the Smiler rollercoaster ride at Alton Towers. Sixteen people were in one carriage while the other one was empty. The West Midlands Ambulance Service said of the 16 on the ride, four had serious leg injuries. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) (credit:Christopher Furlong via Getty Images)
Four Hurt In Alton Towers Rollercoaster Crash(09 of10)
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ALTON, ENGLAND - JUNE 02: A general view of the main entrance at Alton Towers Resort on June 2, 2015 in Alton, England. Four teenagers have have been seriously injured in a crash between two carriages on the Smiler rollercoaster ride at Alton Towers. Sixteen people were in one carriage while the other one was empty. The West Midlands Ambulance Service said of the 16 on the ride, four had serious leg injuries. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) (credit:Christopher Furlong via Getty Images)
Alton Towers Smiler accident(10 of10)
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EDITORIAL USE ONLY File photo dated 09/05/13 of The Smiler ride at Alton Towers Resort in Staffordshire, as sixteen people have been involved in a collision between two carriages at Alton Towers amusement park's Smiler attraction. (credit:Fabio De Paola/PA Wire)
Mr Paxton, head of the personal injury department at Stewarts Law, also revealed how Miss Washington's father discovered his daughter was involved in the crash after recognising her from television coverage of the aftermath.
"Certainly Leah's father was aware for many an hour that his daughter was on the ride," he told the BBC. "The only comfort, if that's the right way to put it, was that it wasn't clear early on the full extent of the injuries."
Speaking earlier this month, Mr Paxton said that the family expects a criminal prosecution to be seriously considered and will be seeking compensation, which could run into the millions.
He said: "Whilst it is anticipated that there will be a substantial claim for damages to support Victoria in her recovery, the main focus at present for the family is Victoria's well-being and ensuring that the investigation into the accident is carried out swiftly and vigorously."
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17-year-old Leah Washington had to have her leg amputated above the knee following the crash
Alton Towers said it is in contact with the victims of the crash and their families and will provide "full support" to those involved.
Merlin Entertainments, which owns Alton Towers said management accepts full responsibility and that compensation will be provided.
A spokeswoman for the company said: "Irrespective of the outcome of the current investigations into the causes of the accident, in these letters we have accepted full responsibility to those who had been injured in the accident and confirmed that we will ensure that compensation will be provided to them.
"We have recommended each of the injured guests or their families instruct a lawyer and submit a claim for compensation which we will ensure is dealt with swiftly and sensitively."
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Passengers were trapped at a sharp angle while waiting to be rescued