Scotland fan who broke back in Germany after arriving from Edinburgh undergoes surgery

A young Scotland fan has undergone surgery in Germany after being involved in a horror crash shortly after arriving in the country from Edinburgh Airport.

Gary Ellis was travelling with four friends in a Citroen C3 near Weeze Airport in Dusseldorf on Friday, June 14 ahead of Scotland’s opening Euro 2024 group match against hosts Germany.

The 23-year-old had landed after jetting off from Edinburgh but ended up in a ‘serious condition’ in hospital after the group’s vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with a Mercedes.

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It is understood the incident occurred on the wrong side of the road with the driver of the vehicle also transported to hospital with serious injuries, reports the Record.

Gary, from Dundee, broke his back in the collision and underwent surgery in Germany on Monday, June 17.

German police said the Scots used the “wrong lane” after their rental car was driven towards oncoming traffic when they left the airport. Following the incident, Gary’s mum Mandy Coleman, has confirmed that her son has since received surgery for his injuries.

Writing on Facebook, Mandy said: “Just a quick update on Gary. It’s been a long tough day but on a positive note, Gary’s operation has went well.

“He’s been heavily medicated so we will know more in the morning once the meds wear off. Sorry we haven’t replied personally to everyone, all your texts and comments haven’t gone unnoticed and we appreciate them more than you’ll ever know.”

An online fundraiser, which was set up by Gary’s friend to cover the costs for the operation and for transport back to Scotland, has since surpassed £10,000.

Mandy added: “Thank you again to everyone who has donated on his GoFundMe page! There is so much love out there for our boy. He can’t wait to get home and be reunited with his best mate Hamish.”

Responding to messages from his hospital bed, Gary earlier said: “Thanks everyone for all the messages and Graham for setting this up for me and my family. Hopefully, I will get back to Dundee soon.”

Distressing images show ambulance crews and firemen at the scene of the crash. Pictures showed suitcases and Scotland flags being pulled from the wreckage. Men standing in kilts could also be seen behind the vehicles.

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Three other Scots, all 23, who were passengers in the rental car suffered minor injuries. The driver of the Mercedes, a 45-year-old German national, also suffered minor injuries.

A German Police spokesperson told The Record: “On Friday, June 14 at 00.10am, a traffic accident occured on the airport ring in Weeze. A 25-year-old Scotsman was travelling with four other men from Scotland (aged 25, 23, 23 and 23 years old) in a rental car, a Citroen C3, after arriving at the airport to travel on to Dusseldorf.

“The five men were a group of friends who had traveled to Germany for UEFA EURO 2024. On the way from the terminal towards the exit, the man from Scotland drove in the lane for oncoming traffic.

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“This resulted in a head-on collision with a Mercedes Benz S-Class driven by a 45-year-old man from Dusseldorf who was traveling towards the terminal. The driver of the Citroen and a 23-year-old passenger were seriously injured in the accident. The three other people in the Citroen and the driver of the Mercedes were slightly injured.

“Based on the investigations as part of the accident report, it is suspected that the Scottish driver used the wrong lane due to the left-hand traffic in his home country. All of the people were taken to various hospitals in the region by the emergency services. The Citroen was seized to protect the property.”

You can donate to the fundraiser for Gary here.