Richard Branson in horror crash as Virgin mogul shares bloody injury photos

12 February 2024 , 09:26

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Richard Branson in horror accident as her shares bloody images of his injuries (Image: Getty Images)

Sir Richard Branson, 73, has been involved in horror accident during one of his recent adventures.

The billionaire captioned a picture of his injuries on Instagram on Sunday night, telling his followers: "Took quite a big tumble while cycling in Virgin Gorda a little while ago! I hit a pothole and crashed hard, resulting in another hematoma on my hip and a nasty cut elbow, but amazingly nothing broken."

Branson continued to tell his fans: "We were cycling with Alex Wilson, who fell after me, but thankfully he was ok as well. I’m counting myself very lucky, and thankful for keeping myself active and healthy. After all, the brave may not live forever but the cautious do not live at all!"

Richard Branson shared this image with his Instagram followers on Sunday night

Comedian Max Amini was one of the first to comment on Branson's update, jokingly telling the bruised and bloody businessman: "Daaaaaaaamn! Glad you’re okay! Maybe now I can beat you in tennis." One of the billionaire's fans added: "Absolutely right that we must take some calculated risks to enjoy life!"

"The brave may not live forever …. Love that," another added to the comments underneath Branson's bloody snap, as one Instagram user told the businessman: "It ain't about how hard you can hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward" - Rocky Balboa. Hope you had a speedy recovery."

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Branson, who co-founded the Virgin Group, which today controls more than 400 companies, is no stranger to picking up a few injuries on his adventures - including one or two scrapes on the Virgin Islands over the years. In 2018, the 73-year-old thought he'd broken his back after being thrown off his bike during a charity race. This followed a 2016 incident where he feared for his life after crashing head-first onto the road at high speed while cycling with his adult children.

Branson, who's had a few close calls including a run-in with a deadly stingray before the 2016 crash, said he thought he'd used up all his luck. He explained: "I was heading down a hill towards Leverick Bay when it suddenly got really dark and I managed to hit a 'sleeping policeman' hump in the road head on. The next thing I knew, I was being hurled over the handlebars and my life was literally flashing before my eyes."

After the accident, Branson was rushed to Miami for medical checks which revealed a cracked cheek and torn ligaments. The billionaire has had 76 near-death experiences, starting in 1972 when a fishing boat sank on his honeymoon. The business tycoon's biography also mentions a 1976 incident where he crash-landed in a field after accidentally taking off in a microlight aircraft without knowing how to fly it.

Zoe Delaney