A bouncer tried in vain to stop BMX daredevil Dane Searls before his fatal leap off the balcony of a Surfers Paradise pub on Sunday, an eyewitness has claimed.
A Billy’s Beach House regular, who asked not be named, said he saw the bouncer make contact with Searls, 23.
Police confirmed that Searls’ life support was turned off this morning after spending five days in a coma in a Gold Coast hospital.
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The witness said he was sitting near the pool with friends before the tragic accident.
“I noticed a few guys who had come downstairs and they were looking across the pool as if something was about to happen, so I had a feeling something was about to happen,” he told ninemsn.
“So I was looking up and he went to jump and it looked like the bouncer tried to stop him. ”
He said after the accident several bystanders jumped into the pool where Searls was floating face down.
“They lifted him out and there was blood pouring out of his head,” he said.
“It was pretty intense.”
The general manager of Billy’s Beach House, who also asked not to be named, declined to comment because a police investigation was underway.
But he said the pub was compliant with all occupational health and safety and liquor licensing requirements.
“Everything out there was done in due diligence,” he said.
“There were warning signs up about the risk and unfortunately I can’t stop a pre-meditated event from happening as much as we tried.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends and fans.”
He added that the venue’s security was provided by an outsourced company but declined to name which one.
Police said Searls, from Woy Woy in NSW, hit the cement floor beside the pool, suffering severe head and back injuries.
The daredevil sportsman had been celebrating after breaking a world record on Friday by performing a series of massive BMX jumps.
Police said the death was not being treated as suspicious and a report would be prepared for the coroner.