Big wave surfer Alex Botelho rushed to hospital after horror Nazare incident
Big wave surfer Alex Botelho has been rushed to hospital after a horror incident at the Nazare Tow Surfing Challenge in Portugal.
The Portuguese local was being ferried back to shore on the back of a jetski before suddenly being thrown high into the air when he was sandwiched between the crest of two colliding waves.
He then became unreachable as he was rag-dolled in the break zone of the massive surf, until he was finally rescued face down in the water.
Alex Botlho rushed to hospital after Nazare incident Twitter
He was immediately rushed to hospital where he is reportedly stable and conscious.
"Big Wave Surfer Alex Botelho was involved in a very serious incident during the Nazare Tow Surfing Challenge," The World Surf League said.
"He was rushed to the hospital and is currently stable and conscious. We are wishing Alex a full and speedy recovery."
The North Atlantic facing Nazare is widely known to be "Portugal's most dangerous wave."
"If you take Jaws, Puerto Escondido and Waimea shorebreak and put them all on steroids… you get Nazaré," US big wave surfer Garrett McNamara said.
Tow surfing involves a team member driving a jet ski to tow a surfer onto a massive waves that are otherwise unable to be surfed by paddling alone.
It is the first time the event has been run as part of the World Surf League's Big Wave world tour.
