Illusionist David Copperfield's assistant has been severely injured after he was sucked into a giant fan while on stage.
A horrified audience at Copperfield's Las Vegas show witnessed the gruesome accident which left magician's aide Brandon in a bloodied mess with broken bones and severe puncture wounds to the face, Us Magazine reports.
Copperfield had planned to use 3.7m industrial fan in the act by creating the illusion of walking through its giant rotating blades.
But the trick came unstuck when Brandon, who had been rotating the fan, was sucked in.
"Just prior to David himself walking through the fan, [the assistant] was accidentally pulled into the vortex of the moving fan blades, causing injury to his arm and face," a representative for Copperfield told Us Magazine.
An audience member who witnessed the accident told Us Magazine they heard a "thump".
"One of the assistants dropped to the floor and the curtain came down partially," the witness said.
"Blood was everywhere and the other assistants dragged the victim back".
Paramedics rushed Brendon to a nearby hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.
The assistant suffered several puncture wounds to the face and had broken his arm in several places.
"The surgery was several hours wherein the doctors could insert pins and bolts," Copperfield's representative said.
Copperfield later praised Brendon as a "loyal and hard working" assistant who had been working with him for almost a year.
“Many people assume that the death-defying illusions I do on stage are not dangerous," Copperfield told Us Magazine.
"This unfortunate accident shows that couldn’t be further from the truth, and we’re just thankful that Brandon’s injuries weren’t worse.”
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