Doctors treating Dutch Prince Johan Friso say he suffered massive brain damage after being buried by an avalanche last week and he may never regain consciousness.

Austrian medic Wolfgang Koller said it took nearly 50 minutes to reanimate the prince. MRI scans have showed his brain suffered "massive damage" in the avalanche in Lech on February 17.

The 43-year-old prince will be moved at a later date to a private clinic for further treatment but it may take years before he awakens, if ever.

Prince Johan is the second son of the Netherlands' Queen Beatrix.

Dr Koller, head of trauma at the Innsbruck hospital where the prince is being treated, was addressing a news conference broadcast live on Dutch national television.

He said: "It is clear that the oxygen starvation has caused massive brain damage to the patient. At the moment, it cannot be predicted if he will ever regain consciousness."

Johan, who is married and has two young daughters, will be moved at a later date to a private rehabilitation clinic for further treatment.

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