Sydney parachuter Miles Cottman hits a tree while speed flying in French Alps

A SYDNEY professional sky diver has broken his back after hitting a tree while ‘speed flying’ in the French Alps, and with no travel insurance his medical bill is likely to top $100,000.

• Skydiving deaths: Family demand answers

THE MEDICAL bill for an extreme skydiver who suffered serious injuries including a broken back after an accident in France could top $100,000.

The family of Miles Cottman, 27, are desperately trying to raise cash for his treatment which is already up to $65,000.

Miles Cottman was an experienced sky diver who competed for Australia overseas.

Mr Cottman was airlifted to hospital after the accident which happened after he was practicing the skill know as speed flying, from a mountain.

Mr Cottman, from Bayview, was flown to hospital with a broken back after his canopy was caught on a tree as he jumped from a mountain almost two weeks ago.

He worked as an instructor and a tandem skydive master, and had completed 5500 jumps.

But he was practising a dangerous sport known as speed flying, which involves jumping from a mountain with a parachute when the accident happened.

Miles Cottman from Bayview, is now out of intensive care in France.

Mr Cottman was sedated for three days but is now awake and out of intensive care.

The sport has killed dozens of people over the past few years according to industry website speedflying.com.

His family said he was travelling at up to 120km an hour when he crashed into a tree in the ski resort of Les Duex Alpes in Isère, South East France.

While sister Emily Cottman, 30, said he’s lucky to be alive, Mr Cottman, who was a resident of Germany, splitting his time between there and New Zealand wasn’t covered by travel or health insurance.

Mile Cottman with sister Emily and brother Angus, from the northern beaches

“It’s a massive stuff up. I think he was assuming he was covered as he had been previously,” she said.

“We thought he might be covered — he competes for Australia and they’re occasionally under that insurance.

“Basically because he’s a permanent resident of Germany, usually he’s part of the equivalent of Medicare, which would mean he was covered but because he competed last year instead of being permanently in Germany, it meant he wasn’t registered.

The former Pittwater House student’s injuries also include multiple broken bones, and organ damage.

Mrs Cottman’s parents Sarah, a professional organiser and Craig, a demolition project manager, have flown to France and are with their son at Grenoble University Hospital.

While they hope to bring him back to Australia to recover, he must lie flat for 45 days and they’re unsure when he’ll be able to travel.

Miles Cottman lived between Germany and New Zealand where he worked in sky diving.

Initially the family was told he might not walk again and feared he could have brain damage.

But they now expect him to make a full recovery.

“We already feel so lucky that we get to keep him,” said Ms Cottman.

“Obviously when there’s an incident in that sport its not always as lucky.

“It’s a better prognosis than we were hoping for. We don’t known if he’ll be able to sky dive again.

Mr Cottman had six operations, but now out of intensive care at Grenoble University Hospital.

“He’s still sleeping a lot and my mum says everything is exhausting.

“The first words he spoke after coming out of sedation​ for three plus days​ w​ere​ ‘I want to go skydiving. My mum was like ‘no, never again.”

He took part in the Canopy Piloting World Championships in Canada last year, and won the British national event the year before.

Details: https://www.gofundme.com/miles-road-to-recovery