Storm Eunice: British man falls to death off boat and crane sent crashing onto hospital roof in Belgium

Storm Eunice has struck mainland Europe with devastating force

Winds of up to 80 miles an hour hit Belgium (REUTERS)

A British man has died in Belgium after falling from his boat during Storm Eunice, according to reports.

The 79-year-old is said to have been blown into a waterway in the town of Ypres amid strong winds.

Reuters, Sky News and local media reported he was British.

High winds in Belgium also sent a crane crashing onto the roof of a hospital in the town of Tournai on Friday, as the powerful storm swept in with gusts of up to 80 miles per hour.

There were no immediate reports of any deaths, though local media said there had been injuries.

Images on social media showed the crane’s tip had crashed into the roof of the hospital and through the ceiling of the top floor.

Another section fell on the ground in a building site close to the crane’s base, which stayed standing.

In the nearby town of Menen, a teenager was reported to be in a critical condition after he was hit by a falling branch while out for a run.

Storm Eunice has been sweeping across northern Europe with devastating force.

At least nine people have died – three in the UK, one in Ireland, four in the Netherlands, and one in Belgium.

The storm has disrupted transport in Belgium, with several flights cancelled at Brussels’ Zaventem airport, where roof panels were damaged by the wind.

Off the Belgian coast, two ships got stuck in a windfarm after going adrift. A tanker carrying 31,000 tons of fuel was still waiting for help.

The British Foreign Office has been contacted to confirm the nationality of the 79-year-old man who died in Belgium.