Schumacher's friend says German 'out of danger'

Investigators in France are examining a camera which had been fixed to the ski helmet of injured Formula 1 driver Michael Schumacher, media reports say.

Authorities were hoping the device may reveal clues about the circumstances of his skiing accident in the French Alps, a source told the AFP news agency.

Police also interviewed Schumacher's teenage son, who witnessed the crash.

Fans earlier held a vigil outside the French hospital treating the F1 legend, to mark his 45th birthday.

It comes after friend Philippe Strieff told reporters outside the hospital on Friday that the German's life was no longer in danger.

He said: "I'm not a doctor, I'm repeating what Gerard Saillant (surgeon and friend of the Schumacher family) told me.

"Gerard Saillant said it is a serious condition but his life is not in danger anymore now, thankfully."

However, no official statement has been made by the hospital or Schumacher's representatives to confirm those claims.

Schumacher's family said in a statement they had been moved to tears and "utterly overwhelmed" by the "incredible sympathies" shown by the fans.

The German champion, who retired in 2012, is in a medically induced coma after suffering head injuries during a fall in the resort of Meribel last Sunday.

His helmet cracked on impact when he hit a rock while skiing off-piste.

He remains in a stable but critical condition after two operations to remove blood and pressure from his brain.

Doctors confirmed on Tuesday that Schumacher had shown signs of improvement, but was still "not out of danger".

They ruled out giving a prognosis for his condition in the coming days and months.

But it is medically possible for someone to spend several weeks in an induced coma and make a full recovery.

News of the camera's existence emerged late on Friday afternoon.

AFP said Schumacher's family had handed both the device and helmet to the authorities for investigation.

It remains unclear whether the camera was switched on at the time of the accident.

The news comes after members of Ferrari clubs in France and Italy travelled to Grenoble to mark the birthday of the most successful driver in Formula 1 history.