A 10-year-old boy is fighting for his life following a jet-ski accident at Maraetai beach this afternoon.
The boy was flown to Starship Children's Hospital by the Auckland Westpac recue helicopter with severe head injuries.
He is in intensive care in crtical condition.
A family group with two900cc jet-skis were enjoying a day out at the beach before one jet-ski collided with the other, acting sergeant Todd Brooks from Howick police told nzherald.co.nz.
The boy was a passenger on a stationary jet-ski, driven by an adult.
The second jet-ski, also piloted by an adult with a young boy on the back, approached the first and attempted to pull up alongside it.
But either through inexperience from the driver, or from a faulty jet-ski, the approaching vessel powered up and collided with the first, Sgt Brooks said.
It rose up over the side of the stationary vessel, striking the boy in the head.
The investigation into the cause of the accident had been passed over to the police's maritime unit, Sgt Brooks said.
Police had seized and photographed both jet-skis, and were awaiting updates on the injured boy's condition, he said.
The conditions at the time of the accident, just after 11am today, were calm with a spot of rain, he said.
Both jet-skis were registered, and it appeared all appropriate safety gear was being worn by the drivers and passengers of the two vessels.
