The World Surf League called it “one of the craziest rescues ever seen” when Brazilian big-wave surfer Lucas Chumbo, after exiting a big wave, was picked up by his teammate on a jetski just moments away from total disaster.
The close call occurred during a big-wave session at the famous big-wave locale of Nazaré, Portugal, last Wednesday, and it was captured in video by Pedro Miranda, who posted the footage on Friday.
Chumbo, a 24-year-old from Brazil who is one of the most prominent big-wave surfers in the world, rode a big wave and made a successful exit, leaving him in what is called the inside or the impact zone. His teammate, Ian Cosenza, had only a matter of seconds to reach Chumbo and ride to safety before a following wave of whitewater devoured them.
Amazingly, they were engulfed by whitewater but managed to ride to safety anyway.
“I’ve been filming Nazaré for many years, and during a jetski rescue there is one thing guaranteed: when the whitewater swallows a jetski, it’s game over, period,” Miranda told USA Today/For The Win Outdoors.
“Well, apparently not anymore. What Cosenza did was incredible; he stuck to it and managed to do something we all thought was impossible, especially because of all the bumps and turbulence inside the foam ball. It took a great deal of experience and for sure some luck to pull off this stunt.”
Miranda told For The Win Outdoors “the consequences could’ve been very dramatic, as both of them could be hit by the jetski and knocked unconscious right in the worst place of Praia do Norte.”
Miranda said the surfer and his rescuing teammate “are redefining the concept of extreme watermen.”
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In his description with the video, Miranda explained further, saying, “Cosenza has to go full speed and needs critical control to avoid the bumps in the water that can easily flip the jetski. Given this was a high-period swell, waves are faster than usual (reaching speeds of 60 mph) and eventually the monster wall of whitewater that is chasing them, end up swallowing the jetski and both surfers.
“When something like this happens it generally doesn’t end well, but incredibly and against all odds, Ian Cosenza saved the day, successfully riding the jetski out of the whitewater and putting them both out of harm’s way.”
Photos courtesy of Pedro Miranda.