Surfer Niccolo Porcella unscathed after huge wipe out in Tahiti in which he was 'annihilated'

Incredibly, he was back in the water 20 minutes later

When not fighting off sharks, pro-surfers tackle the biggest waves the ocean throws up, and as this video shows, they can be just as treacherous.

Niccolo Porcella took on a gigantic wave at Teahupoo off the Pacific island of Tahiti but before he could begin to ride it, was thrown from his board.

The Hawaii-born pro surfer can be seen being pulled into a terrifying spin by the barrel of the wave before being slammed down into the coral reef below.

Onlookers feared the worst, but incredibly Porcella was unscathed and even returned to the water just 20-minutes after what has quickly been dubbed the "heaviest wipe out in history."

Porcella told surfinglife.com.au: "When I first penetrated in the water, I was like, 'ah, this is too good to be true! It's so peaceful! Let me just stroke to the top!' And then on one hand I felt water, and the other I felt air. And then I just thought, 'oh sh*t, I'm going over the falls'."

"It was the most violent thing - I got annihilated. I was bounced, pin-balled on the reef, the whole nine yards. Just up and over and up and over."