Surfing can be thrilling, but it comes with risks. The most common injuries are caused by contact with the surfer’s own board or someone else’s board. In the case of one member from the U.S. who was taking a surfing lesson in Costa Rica, the culprit for his injury was landing head first on the sand. His fall led to severe neck and head pain and prompted local authorities to transport him by aircraft to a nearby hospital. The member was examined and diagnosed with hangman’s fracture, a bilateral fracture of cervical vertebrae 2 and 3. He was deemed fit to fly via air ambulance and, due to the nature and severity of his injury, Global Rescue operations handled his transport from the hospital in San Rafael, Costa Rica, to a medical center in Colorado where he continued his treatment and recovery.