A swimmer on life support has died after suffering  horrific head injuries caused by a powerful jet-ski that, witnesses  claim entered a restricted area at Port Melbourne beach.

The 51-year-old man, from South Melbourne, was dragged  unconscious from the water about 5.50pm on Friday after he was hit by  the jet-ski  near Lagoon Pier.

Yesterday, police said the man’s family was waiting for a  relative to return from overseas, after which they were expected to  turn off the man’s life support.

A police source said the incident occurred within 200  metres of the shore, in an area where all boats and personal water craft  are banned.
Police have interviewed the 21-year-old jet-ski  rider,  from Roxburgh Park, and his 19-year-old passenger, from Broadmeadows,  but no charges have been laid.

The two men were warned to leave the area by several  fishermen on Lagoon Pier, who are believed to be assisting water police  with their investigation.

Police are also speaking with the owners of three boats  moored near Lagoon Pier at the time of the collision, along with a young  woman who is understood to have witnessed the tragedy.

Family of the injured man were  at the beach before he was rushed to The Alfred hospital in a critical condition.

Senior Constable Stephen Carter of the water police said personal water craft were ”a problem right around the bay”.

“We do have issues with jet-skiers over summer,” he  said. ”It’s probably just a small percentage … but we do have issues  with certain jet-skiers.”

Police were yet to establish if the man was swimming  within a protected area that stretches 1.2 kilometres from Lagoon Pier  to Kerford Road Pier.

He said the speed of the jet-ski  might  have been a factor in the collision, but alcohol was not involved.

Senior Constable Carter said that after the collision the  driver and his passenger jumped into the water, dragged the unconscious  man to the jet-ski and took him to shore.

Local resident Benny Pascuzzi  was at the Port Melbourne Surf Life Saving Club at the time of the incident.

Mr Pascuzzi said he saw several personal water craft  entering the restricted swimming zone to collect passengers from the  beach, while others were driving erratically and at high speed.

According to Port Melbourne lifesaver Colin Dale, an  eight-knot southerly breeze had created a chop in Port Phillip Bay on  Friday afternoon, which made it more difficult to spot swimmers.

Mr Dale said he also saw vessels illegally entering the  protected area, and was forced to tell one driver to leave the beach on  Friday afternoon.

In 2009, Victoria introduced tough laws to clamp down on   hoons who put swimmers in danger. The laws give  police the power to  impound vessels.

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