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Harry Van Vliet sustained a hand injury while using a jet ski near the superyacht Katina during Below Deck Down Under season 3. As per Bravo TV, he described the incident by stating,
"I was pulling out the jet ski and I clipped the cradle on, and then a wave came and my finger was in between the cradle and the jet ski and it went up, so it was just crushed."
The injury required immediate medical attention, prompting Captain Jason Chambers to call for assistance. The situation raised concerns about whether Harry would be able to continue the charter season on Below Deck Down Under.
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Harry Van Vliet suffers hand injury during jet ski incident on Below Deck Down Under
The moment of the injury
The incident occurred during the first day of the second charter on Below Deck Down Under. Harry was on a jet ski while most guests were at a beach picnic.
Shortly after, he was heard screaming in pain. Captain Jason Chambers quickly responded to the situation. He contacted production for assistance, saying,
"Production, we have an issue with Harry on the jet ski at the moment."
He then boarded a production tender to reach Harry. Once back on Katina, Harry requested medical assistance, showing visible injuries to his hand. Crew members observed the severity of the wound, with chief stewardess Lara Rigby stating it was a "lot of blood". Harry, while being treated, reiterated,
"I f—ing crushed my thumb."
Medical response and concerns
A doctor was called on board to examine Harry’s injury. Upon inspection, she stated,
"Well, you don’t have a fingernail. You can get staph infection from the water. I will do my best to cover it, but you have to be very mindful about using it."
She advised that if the pain persisted or if movement was restricted, an X-ray would be necessary to check for fractures. The injury raised operational concerns among the crew. Bosun Wihan Du Toit commented,
"I'm quite worried about Harry and his thumb. He’s in pain. This is really gonna affect the deck team. Massively."
Given Harry's role as a deckhand, his ability to perform tasks requiring hand strength and dexterity became uncertain. Harry attempted to rest after receiving pain medication but struggled with discomfort.
He explained that he was experiencing severe pain in his thumb, describing it as throbbing and extremely sore. He stressed that he had never felt this level of discomfort before and was struggling to cope with it.
Uncertain future on Katina
By the next morning, Harry consulted Captain Jason, and they concluded that further medical evaluation was necessary. Jason acknowledged the impact of the injury on Harry’s role, saying,
"I don’t want to lose Harry. He’s got good energy. He’s good for the crew. It’s a time for him to grow this season. However, this could be a broken thumb as well. If that’s an issue, we need a new deckhand."
As a result, Harry was sent to the hospital for an X-ray, leaving his future with Katina uncertain. The Below Deck Down Under episode ended without confirming whether he would be able to continue the season.
Catch new episodes of Below Deck Down Under every Monday at 8 PM ET and stream the next day on Peacock.
