A PSP police spokesperson told The Portugal News that the Briton was injured in a “pool fall”, which happened on Saturday 18 April, in the afternoon.
This was confirmed by Portugal’s medical emergency service INEM, which told The Portugal News, medics were dispatched at 4.25pm to a male, 30-year-old victim who “suffered a fall at a pool in Albufeira.”
A VMER resuscitation vehicle and local fire-fighters rushed to the scene.
INEM said the victim “suffered cervical spine trauma” and was taken to Faro Hospital where “later, at around 6.49pm, the victim needed transporting to the Santa Maria Hospital in Lisbon, which was done by helicopter.”
Reports at the start of this week in the British press claimed that the PC from Hailsham, East Sussex, has been “left paralysed after breaking his neck during a family holiday in Portugal” and was “fighting for his life in a medically-induced coma.”
Relatives have yet to address the circumstances surrounding the accident.
A donation page, set up by close friend and former Metropolitan Police colleague Alison Cat has garnered over £10,000, donated by more than 500 people since being set up on 21 April.
In an update on the page, its author said: “You may or may not already know that Luke Stanwick has been in an accident whilst on holiday in Portugal with his family.
“He has fractured his neck on two of his vertebrae. He has had an operation which went well, but for now, Luke is paralysed from the waist down. This is obviously a devastating situation for him and his family to be going through.”
It was added: “It’s not clear yet what Luke’s needs will be ongoing, but hopefully any money we raise can show our support and help Luke on his road to recovery in some way.”
The page was created on the GoFundMe website under the hashtag ‘MayTheForceBeWithYou’.
In comments to the Daily Mail, Luke’s father Michael Stanwick, 62, described the incident as a “horrendous accident” and said he fears his son may be left permanently disabled.
The police officer is said to have been on holiday with his wife Jenny and their two-year-old son, Nathan, when the accident happened.
The police officer’s mother Stephanie Stanwick, 64, who has a medical background, has also reportedly flown from the UK to be by her son’s side.