Kiwi man in coma after Aussie water accident

Brendon Demmocks was seriously injured on Melbourne's Murrary River. Photo / Givealittle

A Kiwi man living in Australia is in hospital with severe injuries after a water-sports outing on Victoria's Murray River went terribly wrong.

Brendon Demmocks was biscuiting with friends last weekend when the biscuit drifted outside the wake and he went head-first into a tree.

The 31-year-old was riding with three friends when one yelled out they were heading towards a tree. His friends who were on either side of him managed to get off, but Brendon was flung towards the tree.

"One of the guys on it said 'shit, tree' and told everyone to get off, but because Brendon was stuck in the middle he didn't have a chance to get off."

Demmocks was pulled on to the boat and said a few words before passing out.

His sister Samantha Venis said her brother, who is one of four siblings, moved to Melbourne only five months ago and was working as a diesel mechanic. He is originally from Amberley in Canterbury.

Demmocks suffered multiple skull fractures and brain bleeds, as well as fracturing his neck and T5 vertebrae, and is being treated at Melbourne Hospital.

He is in an induced coma because of the severity of the injuries and the family were unsure of the extent of the damage to his brain at this stage, Venis said.

"We don't know what he's going to be like when he does wake up.

"We haven't had any updates. It's going to be a long process before there is anything significant."

A Give a Little page has been set up to pay for travel costs for his family, who are at his bedside, and to pay for the costs of airlifting Demmocks from the crash site to hospital.

To donate visit Help Brendon and his Family.