The wife of a British tourist has died in a freak water sports accident after being launched into the air off an inflatable sea raft at a resort in the Philippines.
Mother-of-two Catherine Egam Mcewan, 43, from Cagayan de Oro City, tried out the activity during her trip with her husband Ken Mcewan and their children in Olango Island, on July 11, before she landed on her head and died.
Horror footage shows Catherine lying at one end of a striped inflatable jetty in the crystal blue waters before a staff member gears up to jump from a towering railing.
As the man lands on the balloon, the mother is launched into the air, but instead of plunging into the water with a splash as expected, Catherine slammed head-first back onto the inflatable’s surface, cracking her neck and rolling into the sea.
Lifeguards waited for a moment for her to resurface, but when she remained motionless underwater, worker Jay Paul Ontong, 21, rushed to drag her back to shore near the the Pinky’s Floating Cottage resort, which operated the attraction.
The wife of a British tourist was killed when she landed on her head while bouncing on an inflatable sea attraction at a resort in the Philippines on July 11. Pictured: Catherine Egam Mcewan, 43, (right) from Cagayan de Oro City, with her husband Ken Mcewan (left) and their children (centre)Â
Catherine could be seen laying on the inflatable just moments before she diedÂ
Catherine had tried out the ‘jumping balloon’ activity during her holiday trip at the Pinky’s Floating Cottage resort in Olango Island, Philippines
The 43-year-old landed on her neck after being launched into the air and was in a coma for eight days before she passed away
The footage captured Jay swimming frantically out into the open water towards where Catherine’s body floated near the balloon.
Catherine was taken to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, where she remained in a coma until she tragically died on July 19.
Devastated husband Ken, a tech specialist from Edinburgh who is now based in Singapore, posted a tribute picture online of him with Catherine and their two children.
Police citing her death certificate said she died of a ‘spinal injury due to extreme water sports’.
Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan has issued a cease-and-desist order on Pinky’s Floating Cottage on July 21.
He said: ‘We closed down the attraction immediately after the death of the visitor.
‘There will be a meeting next week to all operators to discuss the details of the current up includes the safety practices.’
Meanwhile, the resort manager said all visitors are given instructions before trying the jumping balloon activity.
A team of investigators and police were also spotted gathered by the water’s edge to assess the incident and were seen leafing through permit documents.
The resort owners have vowed to shoulder Catherine’s medical and burial expenses.Â
It comes just two days after a British woman died after losing consciousness while swimming at a beach in Greece.
Officials carried out an investigation following Catharine’s tragic deathÂ
Investigators and cops could be seen leafing through permit documents in footage following the incidentÂ
A lifeguard pulled the 66-year-old from the water at Achladies beach on Skiathos shortly after midday on Friday after she fell unconscious.Â
Medical professionals performed CPR and immediately took the woman to the nearby Skiathos Health Centre, but they were sadly unable to save her life.
The woman was believed to have lost consciousness in the ‘intense heat in the area’, as temperatures soared to 31C on the island and little respite.
An FCDO spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘We have offered consular support to the friends of a British woman who has died in Greece’.