Formula One legend Michael Schumacher had reportedly lost control when he hit a rock and ended up smashing his head into a bolder 34 feet further down the mountain, even as investigators ruled out any criminal wrongdoing in the freak accident.
Seven weeks ago, the German seven-time world champion suffered his life-threatening accident while skiing with his son in the French Alpine resort of Meribel, where he owns a chalet, and since then he remains in intensive care as doctors try to ease him out of an artificially-induced coma.
According to the Daily Express, the prosecutor in charge of the inquiry Patrick Quincy closed the case and ruled 'no infraction by anyone has been turned up', clearing Meribel of any wrongdoing.
Quincy said that the accident occurred just over 14 feet from the edge of the ski run in an off-piste area and that the resort had conformed to the French standards for marking ski runs.
Quincy also said that the rock that caused Schumacher to lose balance and the rock on which he struck his head 'are 10.40 metres from each other and both are located at 4.50 metres from the boundary of the piste', although his decision will not prevent Schumacher's family from taking civil action.
Schumacher's equipment, including his skis, bindings, ski boots and a piece of his helmet, was also not found to be faulty in any way.
The report mentioned that the retired champion receives food through a tube to his stomach, oxygen via a hose from a machine next to his bed as he still cannot breathe independently, and he lies on a special air-filled mattress to prevent pressure sores.