USA-KERRY/ACCIDENT HOSPITAL EVENING U.S.'s Kerry breaks leg in cycling accident in Alps, plans to return home Monday

Record ID: 149635

  • Title: USA-KERRY/ACCIDENT HOSPITAL EVENING U.S.'s Kerry breaks leg in cycling accident in Alps, plans to return home Monday
  • Date: 1st June 2015
  • Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (MAY 31, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF GENEVA WHERE U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE JOHN KERRY IS BEING TREATED SIGN ON BUILDING READING (French) "UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF GENEVA" AMBULANCE LEAVING HOSPITAL EXTERIOR OF HOSPITAL VARIOUS OF NIGHT SHOT OF HOSPITAL EXTERIOR
  • Embargoed: 16th June 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Switzerland
  • Country: Switzerland
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA1U6N26X6UCUSRIMDNGDAKRDFF
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry broke his right leg in an accident while cycling a portion of the Tour de France route near Scionzier, France, on Sunday (May 31) and will remain in a Geneva hospital overnight for observation, his spokesman said.
    He has cancelled visits to Madrid and Paris.
    Kerry broke his femur but the injury is not life-threatening and he is expected to make a full recovery, spokesman John Kirby said. He was taken to Geneva's main hospital and was in a stable condition.
    Kerry had been due later on Sunday to travel to Madrid, his first visit to Spain as secretary of state, to sign a bilateral defence agreement that would allow the United States to have permanent use of Moron air base, near Seville.
    He had then been due on Monday (June 1) to fly to Paris for a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi and members of a U.S-supported coalition fighting the militant group Islamic State.
    Kerry, 71, is still an avid sportsman and often takes his own bike on official trips abroad. The accident came the day after he met his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif in Geneva to try to overcome obstacles in negotiations on curbing Tehran's nuclear programme.
    It was not immediately clear how his injury would affect the nuclear negotiations with just a month left before a June 30 deadline for a final agreement between Iran and the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China.
    Kerry was flown by helicopter from the scene of the accident after he was stabilised by a doctor and paramedic who were with his accompanying motorcade. He was resting comfortably and in good spirits in the Geneva hospital, Kirby said.
    A senior State Department official said it appeared Kerry had hit a curb. There was no vehicle involved.
    Kerry was to return to his home town of Boston on Monday for treatment at Massachusetts General Hospital. His plane and travelling party were departing France ahead of Kerry, who was to take another plane outfitted to ensure his comfort as a precaution, Kirby said.
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