George Clooney looks in pain after motorbike crash

George Clooney is back on his feet after his motorbike crash — with a little assistance.

The Oscar winner was photographed Thursday boarding a plane to leave Sardinia, Italy, where he was hospitalised earlier this week after a car hit him while he was riding his motorbike.

While a rep for the star told Yahoo Entertainment he “will be fine” after the crash, he was clearly hurting.

George Clooney, seen here at the American Film Institute’s 46th Life Achievement Award Gala, in June, has been seen for the first time since being involved in a motorbike crash. (Photo: Getty Images)
George Clooney, seen here at the American Film Institute’s 46th Life Achievement Award Gala, in June, has been seen for the first time since being involved in a motorbike crash. (Photo: Getty Images)

Traveling with his wife, Amal, and their twins, Ella and Alexander, the 57-year-old was brought to the plane on a motorised cart and had help from airport personnel getting to the stairs.

As he began to ascend the staircase, Amal had a hand on his back while carrying Ella, but he took it from there, climbing up the rest of the stairs himself tightly gripping both handrails.

George Clooney boarding a plane to leave Sardinia on July 12 following his motorbike crash. His elbow appeared to have bruises and cuts on it, though it’s unclear if they were related to the crash. Source: BackGrid
George Clooney boarding a plane to leave Sardinia on July 12 following his motorbike crash. His elbow appeared to have bruises and cuts on it, though it’s unclear if they were related to the crash. Source: BackGrid

While he recovers from the bumps and bruises, new details about the crash have emerged. The driver of the Mercedes that hit him — reportedly throwing him 20 feet — has spoken out, saying that he accidentally veered into oncoming traffic, hitting the Oceans Eleven star, who was said to be going 96kms per hour, because he had “the sun in his eyes”.

Antonello Viglino, 65, spoke to the Corriere della Sera newspaper about the crash, saying “I didn’t see anything; I had the sun in my eyes. I was about to turn, I just got over the line”.

He also said he had no idea who the star was, being told at the scene that it was “Clooney … the actor … the one who shoots the film at the airport”.

Viglino, a plumber and a grandfather, described himself as “upset” about the accident. He said he had planned to visit Clooney at the hospital, but when he was about to go, he learned Clooney had been released. “I’ll try again” to reach out, Viglino said, “if he wants to [see] me”.

George Clooney and his wife, Amal, prepare to leave Sardinia on July 12 after the actor was released from the hospital following a motorbike accident. Source: BackGrid
George Clooney and his wife, Amal, prepare to leave Sardinia on July 12 after the actor was released from the hospital following a motorbike accident. Source: BackGrid

Meanwhile, Gianni Visciano, a witness to the accident, told the paper Clooney was holding his head after the crash and seemed to have trouble moving his legs. He said that there was understandably “great confusion” at the crash site. And whoever was with Clooney, he was thought to be traveling with a bodyguard or other staffer who was on another motorbike that cleared the scene right before Clooney crashed, said, “No photos via mobile phones.”

On Wednesday, footage of the accident, which took place when he was headed to the set of the upcoming TV adaptation of Catch 22, was released showing the impact.

A rep for Clooney told Yahoo shortly after the accident that he was “treated and released” from an Olbia hospital. After that he was “recovering at his home,” adding, He “will be fine”.

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