Pipeline Strikes Again: Surfer in Critical Condition After Brutal Wipeout

Pipeline has struck again.

Details are scarce, but according to reports, 25-year-old surfer Austin Gibbons was hospitalized after being found unresponsive at Pipeline on Monday.

Surfers helped bring him to shore where lifeguards gave him "several cycles of CPR before he finally regained a pulse," KHON2 News reported. He's in critical condition at an Oahu hospital.

The report continued:

"The 911 call came in shortly after 6:30 p.m., right as the lifeguard tower was closing. Reports said the lifeguards were still in the parking lot and sprung into action after being alerted by beachgoers. Other off-duty neighboring tower lifeguards and Ocean Safety lieutenants assisted as well.

"Honolulu Emergency Medical Services and Honolulu Fire Department also responded to the scene.

"Honolulu Ocean Safety was extremely busy over the past few weeks, preventing over 900 people from putting themselves in life-threatening situations this week alone."

Former Pipe Masters winner Balaram Stack called called out for his Instagram followers to say a prayer for Gibbons in his Instagram story below.

Gibbons rescue follows a handful of other severe wipeouts at Pipeline this winter that sent surfers to the hospital.

Brazil's Joao Chianca was the first in early December, who was hospitalized following a wipeout at Backdoor—the righthander at Pipeline—that knocked him unconscious.

Maui big wave surfer Kai Lenny cracked his helmet and ended up hospitalized and concussed during his SUP heat at Da Hui Backdoor Shootout.

Tahiti's Eimeo Czermak was slapped with a huge bill after a Pipe wipeout in December sent him to the hospital during the 2023 Vans Pipe Masters.

Pipeline almost killed Koa Rothman in January when he slammed his head on the reef, was knocked unconscious, and rescued by 2023 Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational winner and North Shore Lifeguard, Luke Shepardson.

It's no wonder that 22.22% of surfers wore helmets on the opening day of the Lexus Pipe Pro.

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