A NAVAL aircraft engineer was fighting for his life in a Tenerife hospital last night after apparently falling from a balcony.

The family of John Hutchinson, of Darlington, were anxiously waiting for news of his progress from Royal Navy chiefs as an investigation into how he suffered severe injuries got under way.

The 21-year-old has been in the intensive care unit of a hospital in the north of the island since early Thursday morning.

He is believed to have plunged from the balcony of a building at about 7am, although the circumstances are unclear.

Mr Hutchinson, who has been with the Navy for four years as an engineer working on Harrier Jump Jets, was on a tour with Durham City's adopted ship HMS Invincible

The crew of the Anti-Submarine Warfare Carrier is understood to have been on two days' shore leave when the accident happened.

The ship's commanding officer, Captain Trevor Soar, has spoken to family members in the region to inform them of the accident.

Mr Hutchinson's parents were flying out to the island last night and stepfather Dave Cooke said the family was in shock.

"He has a younger brother and sister and they are being kept updated," he said.

"I don't want to speculate on what has happened. There's only one person who knows and unfortunately he is still unconscious."

A Royal Navy spokesman said last night that investigations had been launched by local police and military chiefs.

"The ship was paying a visit to one of the ports as part of its normal programme in the area when this happened," he said.