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A local surfer tried to fight off a shark for about 30 seconds as he sustained significant injuries to both legs in an attack on the NSW Mid North Coast this morning.
Toby Begg, 44, is believed to have been bitten by 3.8-to-4.2-metre great white shark at Watonga Rocks on Lighthouse Beach, south of Tacking Point in Port Macquarie, about 10am.
He sustained serious injuries from his hip to his calf and lower legs.
“The reports are that a man has tried to fight this shark for 30 seconds and has then swum himself to shore where he has realised he has sustained significant lower leg injuries,” Chief Inspector Martin Burke from NSW Police said.
“From what I understand, it was a sustained and prolonged attack.”
Begg sustained life-threatening injuries and was undergoing surgery this afternoon.
Burke said an off-duty emergency doctor was one of the first on the scene and assisted other members of the public to apply a tourniquet to Begg’s leg.
“To have the absolute luck of having an emergency department doctor on scene are all going to be key things that are going to lend itself to giving this gentleman the best chance of survival,” he said.
Burke said he had spoken to some members of the surfing community, who all understood they were “in nature’s playground” when they were in the ocean.
Inspector Joshua Smyth from NSW Ambulance said Begg sustained significant trauma and blood loss.
“The bystanders obviously did a remarkable job on the patient initially and to initially arrest that hemorrhage and call triple zero,” Smyth said.
“The crews did a really remarkable job.
“They were on scene quickly, they didn’t wait on scene for long and the patient was taken to the best and the most appropriate destination.”
Earlier, a teenage witness told 9News it was “really scary”.
“I have never seen anything like it,” a teenager told NBN.
“His foot ripped off and basically he was bleeding everywhere,” she said.
“They were trying to talk to him, he was silent, he was frozen.
“They tried to tie his leg with the leg rope from the surfboard and some sticks to keep it straight.”
She said she thought the shark was “really big” and potentially four metres long.
The man was transported to Port Macquarie Base Hospital.
A witness told Nine radio station 2GB a group of men were surfing at the beach when a shark attacked them.
The witness said the shark tried to attack again as the group paddled to shore.
Surf lifesaver James Turnham said there were a lot of surfers there at the time.
“The word is that one of the surfers was a doctor,” Turnham said.
Port Macquarie Lifeguards said the beach is now closed due to the shark attack.
“The closure will likely remain in place for at least 24 hours,” lifeguards said.
“A Surf Life Saving NSW drone will be operating to try to determine the size and species of the shark involved.
“We hope and pray for a good outcome for the victim involved.”
Police are working with experts at the NSW Department of Primary Industries after the attack.
