A three-metre shark rips off a surfer’s leg in Australia

Published:

24 Jul 2024 21:14 GMT

The limb washed up on shore an hour after the attack. Surgeons are assessing whether it can be reattached to the victim, who is in a serious but stable condition.

An Australian surfer lost a leg after being attacked by a three-metre great white shark on Tuesday at a beach north of Port Macquarie in New South Wales state. collect local media.

According to reports, the animal violently bit Kai McKenzie, 23, as he tried to paddle with all his might to get back to shore. Despite being seriously injured, the young man managed to get to safety on the beach, where he was assisted by bystanders. One of them, an off-duty police officer, applied a tourniquet with his dog’s leash to stop the bleeding.

The leg washed up on shore an hour later and was put on ice for preservation. After paramedics arrived, McKenzie and his leg were taken to a nearby hospital.

Surgeons will now have to assess whether it is possible to reattach the amputated limb as the young man faces a series of complex operations. So far, the patient’s condition is serious but stable. McKenzie had recently returned to surfing after recovering from a broken neck.

North Shore Beach, where the accident occurred, is an isolated space that can only be reached by a dirt road. The previous days had already been sighted several sharks north of Port Macquarie, including the great white shark.

Attacks on the rise

Meanwhile, according to a study cited by The Guardianshark bite deaths globally doubled in 2023, with 40% of them occurring in Australia. Last year, 10 fatal attacks were recorded (compared to five in 2022), four of which occurred in the oceanic country.

According to the report, “unprovoked” attacks were more common among surfers than swimmers and occurred mostly in isolated areas.