Alex Botelho: Surfer left unconscious after terrifying jet ski accident at big wave event (VIDEO)

Canadian big wave surfer Alex Botelho has been hospitalized after a horrific accident on the waves off the coast of Portugal left him unconscious.

Botelho had just wiped out at the end of one of his runs on the big waves off the central coast of Portugal, and was in the process of being picked up by a jet ski ridden by his surf partner Hugo Vau, when disaster struck.

Their jet ski was too slow to outrun a huge wave, which struck them from behind, just as a wave met them at the front. The impact threw the jet ski high into the air, with both men crashing down into the sea.

The terrifying incident was captured by fellow big wave surfer Nic Von Rupp, who shared the footage on Instagram with a message of support for his friend and fellow competitor.

"Today I was confronted with the reality of our sport, heartbreaking watching my brother @alex_botelho between life and death right in front of the eyes of the world," he wrote.

"Honestly, very few would have survived, just a beast of a human like Alex to pull thru.. not only because the strong human he is, but mostly for the love many people have for him praying to pull thru."

The World Surf League issued a statement following the incident, saying, "Big wave surfer Alex Botelho was involved in a very serious incident during the Nazare Tow Surfing Challenge.

"He was rushed to the hospital and we now have an update on his condition. Currently, he is stable and conscious. He will stay at the hospital for further evaluation.

"A heartfelt thank you to the safety and medical teams for their quick response. We are wishing Alex a full and speedy recovery."