‘There was blood all over the boat’: Horror as shark mauls spearfisher near tourist hotspot before his brave girlfriend makes a life-or-death dash to save his life
- A man in his 20s was bitten by a shark at a Western Australian beach on Saturday
- The spear fisherman suffered leg injuries after he was bitten at about 12.15pm
- The shark attack occurred about 500 to 1000 metres offshore near Coral Bay
- The man’s girlfriend desperately steered their boat to shore to seek help
A spear fisherman who was bitten by a shark at a popular tourist spot is recovering in hospital after his brave girlfriend made a life-or-death dash to save his life.
The man suffered a 5 to 8cm wound to his calf when he was attacked near Coral Bay, 1,200 kilometres north of Perth, at about 12.15pm on Saturday.
It’s understood the man, who is aged in his 20s, was bitten by a whaler or bull shark about 500 to 1000 metres offshore, south of Warroora Station.
The man’s girlfriend was forced to get behind the wheel of the boat to steer him towards help.
A spear fisherman who was bitten by a shark at a popular tourist spot is recovering in hospital after his brave girlfriend made a life-or-death dash to save his life. Pictured: The man receives medical treatment on Saturday
Witness Nick Hardie was fishing nearby when he saw the victim and his partner hurling his way, The West Australian reported.
‘We saw this white boat come rushing up to us and we were a bit confused,’ Mr Hardie said.
‘We saw that a guy was sitting in the floor of the boat and there was blood all over the boat.’
Mr Hardie said his boat was the first the pair had come across after the shark attack.
The girlfriend explained the spear fisherman had been bitten, adding ‘I can’t drive this boat’.
‘We followed them into the boat ramp and then parked up next to them and I jumped on their boat. She was a bit nervous and didn’t really know how to drive it and he was on the floor, so I parked the boat up against the jetty at the boat ramp,’ Mr Hardie said.
Witness Nick Hardie (pictured) was fishing nearby when he saw the victim and his partner hurling his way
The victim, who was ‘pretty pale’, was lifted onto the jetty before paramedics rushed to the scene and took over.
A St John Ambulance spokesperson said the man was taken to Coral Bay Nursing Post with non-life threatening injuries.
He is expected to be airlifted to hospital in Perth on Saturday night.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development were alerted to the attack at about 1.40pm and are currently coordinating a response with local authorities.
‘Take additional caution in the Warroora Station area,’ DPIRD said.
‘Adhere to beach closures advised by Local Government Rangers, Parks and Wildlife Service officers or Surf Life Saving WA.’
Surf Life Saving WA earlier tweeted that an unknown shark was sighted at 12.20pm 750 metres offshore, near Coral Bay.
The incident occurred about 500 to 1000 metres offshore south of Warroora Station. Pictured: A woman swims at Coral Bay
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