A surfer has miraculously driven himself to hospital after being bitten twice on the leg by a shark at a popular break in South Australia.
The man, aged in his 50s, was surfing at D’Estrees Bay – a popular tourist spot on Kangaroo Island – when the attack took place shortly after 1pm on Tuesday.
Stunningly, the surfer managed to drive himself to hospital where is expected to undergo emergency surgery.
His injuries are believed to not be life-threatening, a South Australia police spokesperson told the Daily Mail.
The shark is believed to be a large bronze whaler, according to an unconfirmed witness report submitted to the South Australian Shark Watch Alert.
It was reportedly seen pursuing a seal through the bay before the attack occurred.
It comes nearly five years after a 29-year-old surfer was attacked by a great white shark at D’Estrees Bay.
He managed to paddle to shore and walk to the car park before being transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
A surfer who was bitten twice on the leg by a shark has managed to drive himself to hospital to undergo emergency surgery (pictured, D’Estrees Bay on Kangaroo Island)
The surfer is believed to have been attacked by a large bronze whaler shark, seen chasing a seal through the bay shortly before the attack, according to a witness
The 29-year-old described the attack as like being ‘hit by a truck’ in a statement released by South Australia Health days after the incident.
‘I was sitting on my board when I felt a hit on my left side — it was like being hit by a truck,’ the statement reads.
‘I got a glimpse of the shark as it let go and disappeared.’
Experts warn unprovoked shark attacks are on the rise across Australia partly driven by habitat depletion, more swimmers and weather anomalies.
Australia has recorded four fatal shark attacks so far this year – all of which were unprovoked.
More to come.
