A man in his fifties was attacked by a shark while surfing at a popular tourist spot in South Australia. The incident occurred at D’Estrees Bay on Kangaroo Island, known as The Sewer. The man was bitten twice by the shark but managed to drive himself to the hospital for emergency surgery.
The shark attack took place around 1:37 pm local time on Tuesday, according to Shark Watch South Australia. It is believed that the shark responsible for the attack was a bronze whaler. Bronze whaler sharks are commonly found in coastal and offshore waters of South Australia, reaching lengths of up to 3.3 meters and weighing up to 300 kilograms.
In a similar incident in the same area, a surfer survived a great white shark attack in 2020. The surfer described the attack as feeling like being hit by a truck when the shark mauled him, causing injuries to his back, buttock, and elbow, as well as damaging his surfboard.
Following the recent shark attack, the surfer, identified as Dion Lynch, expressed his gratitude for surviving the encounter. Despite the injuries sustained during the attack, Lynch managed to paddle back to shore and seek assistance from another surfer who happened to be an off-duty paramedic. They were met by paramedics en route to the hospital in Kingscote.
Lynch, who is currently recovering in the hospital, remains optimistic about his full recovery and emphasized his appreciation for the support received after the harrowing experience in the water.