Kite surfer thought he would die after impaling leg in high-speed crash


An experienced kite surfer will likely spend Christmas in hospital after impaling his leg on a piece of driftwood in a freak accident.

David Price was kite surfing on Wednesday when he crashed into a piece of driftwood on Eastern Victoria at high speed.

“I’m just so grateful to still be here basically,” Mr Price said.

“I managed to impale my lower leg. I was thinking in this situation I’ve got my family here and I’m worried that I’m going to bleed out in front of them in the middle of nowhere.”

David Price was kite surfing on Wednesday when he crashed into a piece of driftwood on Eastern Victoria at high speed impaling his leg. Source: 7 News
David Price was kite surfing on Wednesday when he crashed into a piece of driftwood on Eastern Victoria at high speed impaling his leg. Source: 7 News

Mr Price laid in shallow water as his wife called an ambulance.

He added it was “a long time sitting” with no anaesthetic and a log in his leg.

Paramedics arrived an hour later and the air ambulance transported him to The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne.

Mr Price said emergency services saved his life.

Mr Price said the wood was like a log, which impaled him. Source: 7 News
Mr Price said the wood was like a log, which impaled him. Source: 7 News

He’s now warning others to be careful ahead of the holidays.

“The one thing I kept thinking, I just didn’t want die in front of my family,” he said.

“I want to see my loved ones you know, and everyone wants that.”

On average, more than 5100 people attend Victoria’s emergency departments each day between 25 December and 2 January.

On New Year’s Day that number spikes to almost 5500.

Paramedics attend to the man. He’s credited them with saving his life. Source: 7 News
Paramedics attend to the man. He’s credited them with saving his life. Source: 7 News