A SOUTH Yorkshire tourist who died after being struck by an Army patrol boat while on holiday in Cyprus suffered "catastrophic" injuries that may have been "irreversible" no matter how quickly he received treatment, an inquest heard.
Dad-of-two Karl Wood was hit by the military speedboat while he snorkelled near a tourist pleasure boat off the coast of Ladies Mile Beach in April 2005.
An inquest into his death at Sheffield Crown Court, heard the Army boat, on a routine patrol,
swerved to avoid him but his leg caught in its propeller.
"I saw something in the water - I tried to turn and I thought I just bumped the side of his head," said boat driver Corporal Craig Paul.
"I was angry a swimmer was so far from his boat without a safety buoy or marker.
"I started shouting at the pleasure boat - I didn't realise how serious it was."
Cpl Paul and his colleague Cpl Mark Titchener, from 417 Maritime Troop, tried to haul Mr Wood, of Ravensmead Court, Bolton-on-Dearne, from the water but he was too heavy.
He stayed conscious long enough to tell them his name and nationality.
With the help of the pleasure boat skipper, they pulled Mr Wood aboard the military boat where Cpl Paul had already put out a non-emergency call for help.
When he realised the severity of Mr Wood's injuries he made a Mayday call but in his panic he didn't realise it had been answered and headed to the shore where Cpl Titchener got out to call for help.
Then Cpl Paul saw a flare go up from another boat in response to his Mayday - so took the speedboat back out to sea. As he drew level he was advised to continue to a nearby harbour where help was waiting. Medics met Mr Wood but he was pronounced dead 40 minutes after the collision.
Cpl Paul told the inquest he had "never" seen an unmarked swimmer so far out.
Mr Wood had suffered multiple fractures to his right leg and severe damage to the vessels behind his knee.
Dr Timothy Jackson, a specialist in emergency medicine, said the fractures alone could have caused him to lose "three litres of blood" while still in the water.
He was in full cardiac arrest within 20 minutes of the incident - something Dr Jackson described as "irreversible" in most situations, even in a surgical environment.
The inquest continues today.
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