Pro surfer is attacked by a five-foot-tall shark that clings to his arm

An Australian pro surfer has been hospitalized after being bitten by a shark at a popular beach.

Max Marsden, 30, was attacked by what is believed to be a five-foot bronze whaler while surfing with a friend around 7:30am on Sunday morning.

The shark clung to his arm on remote Lucy’s Beach, inaccessible by car, near Geraldton, north of Perth in Western Australia.

His friend Danny Williams helped him out of the water and gave first aid before medics helped the surfer through rough terrain to an ambulance.

Mr Williams, who has surfed with Mr Marsden for over a decade, told ABC News: “Max was in front of me and he was just behind and a shark came out from under him and attacked him.

“He struck a few times. His arm was badly injured.”

Mr Williams described paddling back to shore as a “surreal experience” and praised his friend for handling the pain “like a champ”.

Mr Marsden was flown to Perth for surgery and is “in good spirits” after the ordeal, reports The Australian.

‘[The shark] wasn’t huge, but big enough to do damage,” Williams said.

Authorities have now launched an investigation into the incident, which has been described as an “extremely rare and isolated event”.

It is reportedly the city’s first shark attack in more than a decade.

The Mayor of Greater Geraldton, Shane Van Styn, said: “In Geraldton, this is the first shark attack in quite some time.

“The location where the shark attack took place is very isolated, so surveillance is probably not feasible.”

Mr Van Styn also praised Mr Marsden’s friend for providing first aid.

“He was stabilized ashore by his friend, which is great to hear,” he said.

“First aid is a fundamental skill that everyone should learn, especially when surfing in remote locations.”

The beach, popular with surfers but known for its dangerous tidal waves, was closed but was due to open on Monday.

Attacks by bronze whalers are rare and the last reported incident of this type was more than two years ago, in June 2021, near Coral Bay in Western Australia.

originals

Jackson Bartlett, 10, was bitten in the leg by a 7-foot shark at Five Finger Reef while spearfishing with his father and flown to hospital for surgery.

A surfer lost his foot after being attacked by a tiger shark off the Hawaiian island of Oahu.

He shared how he survived by giving the eight-foot-tall predator a “bear hug.”

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