World-renowned big-wave surfer hospitalised after SA wipeout

When big-wave surfer Dylan Longbottom followed a giant swell to South Australia he had no idea his first wave would send him to hospital. See the horrific wipeout in pictures.

This was Aussie big-wave surfer Dylan Longbottom’s first wave at a secret South Australian reef break, and it’s likely to be his last – for a while anyway.

Longbottom, who hails from Cronulla in NSW, has tackled some of the world’s most monstrous waves, including the infamous big wave surfing spot Nazaré in Portugal.

The horrific wipeout was captured by local photographer Andrew Brooks, who captured the carnage with a long lens from the relative safety of the clifftop.

For Longbottom, though, things were far from safe on Saturday when he chased a huge Southern Ocean swell to the remote location.

Towed into the monster wave by a jet ski, the renowned surfer and surfboard shaper nosedived as the water hit the shallow reef.

He was then picked up and carried “over the falls”, flying through the air in the lip of the wave before being slammed on his side.

Australian big wave surfer Dylan Longbottom and the wipeout that put him in hospital at a South Australian reef break. Picture: Andrew Brooks

Australian big wave surfer Dylan Longbottom and the wipeout that put him in hospital at a South Australian reef break. Picture: Andrew Brooks

Australian big wave surfer Dylan Longbottom and the wipeout that put him in hospital at a South Australian reef break. Picture: Andrew Brooks

Australian big wave surfer Dylan Longbottom and the wipeout that put him in hospital at a South Australian reef break. Picture: Andrew Brooks

Australian big wave surfer Dylan Longbottom and the wipeout at a remote South Australian reef break that put him in hospital. Picture: Andrew Brooks

The aftermath? An emergency trip to hospital for X-rays, which revealed four broken ribs and a punctured lung.

“Well this was my first wave at a new location for me after I just towed @jerome_sahyoun and some of the lads in,” Longbottom wrote on his Instagram page.

“I thought I had a good line on this wave and had enough speed but it just kept growing and bottoming out so fast!

“So I ended up with 4 broken ribs and a punctured lung.”

Dylan Longbottom in hospital after his horror wipeout. Pictures: Instagram/Dylan Longbottom

Dylan Longbottom’s X-rays showing a tube draining his lung. Pictures: Instagram/Dylan Longbottom

Longbottom said he would need surgery on the ribs, and had a tube inserted into his lung to drain the fluid.

“I’ll be back shaping in about a week hopefully, but no surfing for a couple of months,” he wrote, adding that he’ll use the enforced break to spend time with his family, including daughter Summa who is quickly forging a reputation as a fearless big-wave surfer in her own right.