British father left quadriplegic after diving accident in Ibiza

A 37-year-old British father of two has been left quadriplegic after fracturing his cervical spine while diving into the sea on holiday in Ibiza, his family and medical sources said.

David Hayes, from Torquay, Devon, suffered the injury on July 11 and spent almost three weeks in a coma following the accident, according to a fundraising page set up for him and his wife. Hospital reports said he broke vertebrae in his neck and sustained damage to sections of his spinal cord that have left him permanently paralysed from the chest down.

Hayes was initially treated in Spain, where surgeons stabilised his neck with a titanium and artificial bone cylinder. He developed respiratory complications after inhaling salt water and subsequently suffered pneumonia and a collapsed lung, requiring ventilatory support in the hours after the injury. Medical staff have reported he is now able to breathe without a ventilator for extended periods but continues to experience weakened respiratory function.

After transfer to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth for intensive care, Hayes was moved to the Salisbury Spinal Treatment Centre to begin specialist rehabilitation. Medical teams have advised that, given the level and severity of the cervical spinal cord injury, there is no expectation of recovering movement in his limbs, although the family and organisers of the fundraising appeal describe themselves as hopeful about potential improvements through rehabilitation and medical advances.

The accident occurred while Hayes and his wife, Elly, were on a family holiday. The trip had been planned ahead of Elly's cancer treatment; she was recently diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer and is undergoing radiotherapy, the fundraising page said. The appeal states that Hayes will require 24-hour medical care, long-term specialist rehabilitation and major adaptations to the family home that are only partly subsidised.

The fundraising page calls for financial support to cover ongoing care, access to high-quality therapies and assistive technologies. It also describes incremental medical progress, including periods off ventilatory support and the ability to chew and digest some solid foods, while cautioning that extensive lifelong care will be necessary.

Spinal cord injuries at the cervical level can affect motor control, sensation and respiratory function depending on which vertebrae and cord segments are involved. Treatment commonly includes surgical stabilization, respiratory support, infection management and multidisciplinary rehabilitation aimed at maximizing independence and preventing complications.

Hayes' case highlights the complex medical and social needs that can follow high cervical spinal cord injury, including ongoing respiratory monitoring, pressure-care, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and substantial home adaptation. The Salisbury centre continues to provide specialist rehabilitation, and the family’s appeal remains active to help secure services and equipment not fully covered by public funding.