Surfer knocked unconscious: 'I just remember this magnificent whale'

A surfer in Australia has been knocked unconscious by a whale, thought to weigh more than 50 tonnes.

The southern right whale approached a group of around 20 surfers at Sydney's Bondi Beach with its calf.

The whale seemed curious at first, but then it flicked its tail, knocking two surfers off their boards.

One of them, Bishan Rajapakse, was left face down in the water, unconscious.

The moment when the whale flicked its tale was filmed by a Channel 10 employee on his mobile phone.

Mr Rajapakse's friend Chris Collacot helped him out of the water.

"We were just being gentle and trying not to get too close but, you know, the animal came close and that was that," Mr Collacot said.

Mr Rajapakse added: "I remember thinking to myself, 'if he flicks his tail I'm probably going to get hit'... but it was, you know, so quick and that was it."