A Chilean citizen suffered a shocking and rare accident on bicycle in Australiawho left her seriously injured. According to his story, a magpie pounced on hercausing his fall while pedaling.
“I got here full of dreams, willing to work hardexplore this beautiful country and enjoy its incredible landscapes and culturealways respecting the environment and giving my best,» wrote a woman of 30 years on the GoFundMe website, used to raise funds for charity purposes.
This person, according to his testimony, is called Marcela Montalva and she is a young woman originally from Chile who has resided in Australian territory since February 2025. “I was living here with a Working Holiday Visa (NdR: a document that allows you to work and vacation in the country),” he reported.
In the middle of this year, according to her explanation, Marcela moved to Ravenswooda town located in the Outback australiano —name by which the remote and sparsely populated areas of the oceanic country are known—, where it began to work in a local business.
«It is a town with very few inhabitants, without basic services and surrounded by a gold mine. I came here to complete my 88 days of regional work. I was working as multi-purpose employee at a service station«he reported.
The day of the incident: how it happened and what happened next
On October 15, during her day off, Marcela prepared to ride her bicycle to a post office that was left two kilometers from your place of residence. However, the young woman said that never arrived at destination.
In the middle of the journey, according to his words, he had a chance and unfortunate encounter with a bird. «Halfway there, he suddenly attacked me a magpie, I lost control of the bicycle and fell hard on the roadhitting my side left face against concrete«he asserted.
A specimen of magpie. The image is illustrative. Photo: Pexels.Regarding this species of bird, a professor at the University of Southern Queensland told the local press that the magpie tends to dive into other living beings during the spring, in its season of reproduction and nestingfor protect your nest.
“We see this type of attack when the magpies have eggs or chicks in the nest, and that usually happens between August and October,” declared Dr. Meg Edwards to the news portal News.com.au.
It is calculated, according to this same medium, that during that period only a small fraction of magpies —approximately 10%— pounce on human beings. In the case of Marcela, it is likely that has passed near a magpie’s nest without realizing itwhich provoked the bird’s reaction.
The young woman is in Australia on a work and holiday visa, according to her story. Photo: Marcela Montalva/Via GoFundMe.After falling from her bicycle and hitting the ground, the young Chilean lost consciousness. «Later I woke up in a gold mine medical unit. From there, They took me by helicopter al hospital Townsville University Hospitalsince I was in a very remote area”, he stated on GoFundMe.
As a result of the accident, She suffered serious injuries that left her in a critical situation.he indicated. «At the hospital, tests revealed that he had multiple fractures to the left cheekbone (zygomatic bone), including the orbit, maxilla and zygomatic arch. I also suffered a hyoid bone fracturelocated in the neck, an injury rare and dangerous«, he expressed.
An image of the young woman in the hospital shared by her on the web. Photo: Marcela Montalva/Via GoFundMe.Furthermore, Marcela clarified that she has difficulties eating and speaking and you don’t know if you will require a facial surgery reconstructive. «The doctors told me I’m lucky to be alive.«, he stated.
«I’m very worried»
On the other hand, the young woman assured that her travel insurance refused to pay medical expenses. «Unfortunately, my travel insurance refused to cover the medical and surgical expenses, claiming that the initial incident report mentioned that when They found me on the floor, I wasn’t wearing a helmet.«commented Marcela, who received financial help from users and was very grateful for it.
Ravenswood, a town located in the Australian Outback. Photo: Marcela Montalva/Via GoFundMe.On the other hand, in conversation with News.com.au, The young woman declared that she does not know what the future will bring. «I am very worried about this and what could happen to me.«, he admitted to the same medium.
In turn, Marcela said that never imagined being a victim of an incident of this type. «I never thought something like this could happen to me. I always try to stay safe, but I could never have foreseen «that an encounter with a magpie would trigger such a serious accident,» he reflected in GoFundMe.
