An accident at a hostel in Queensland, Australia, has reinforced the need for backpackers to seek
online travel insurance.
According to News Mail, a 26-year-old female backpacker fell from a first floor balcony of the Federal Backpackers hostel in Bundaberg, Queensland, earlier this week. Luckily her fall was broken by an awning positioned less than two metres beneath, but she still sustained a fractured ankle. Paramedics from the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) treated her injury before Queensland Fire and Rescue Service (QFRS) lifted her back to the balcony.
Andrew McCracken, QFRS station officer, told the website: "There were other people around, but she was the only one that fell. It was just a matter of helping the ambulance officers out."
It is not known how the accident happened, and although hostel staff have not commented, they are reportedly studying CCTV footage to shed more light on the incident.
The accident is a reminder of the importance of
worldwide travel insurance while journeying overseas.
Check out Downunder's quote engine for
cheap travel insurance to Oz.