A 23-year-old professional surfer in Australia has survived a shark attack in which his leg was bitten off, but that leg reportedly washed ashore an hour later, and was taken to the hospital 124 miles away. He is reportedly in critical but stable condition, reported ABC Australia. The shark attacked the man at North Shore Beach in Port Macquarie, New South Wales, on July 23, 2024.
An off-duty police officer who happened to be walking his dog near the location found the injured surfer and created a makeshift tourniquet, which was used to stop the bleeding from what was left of the surfer's leg, reported Australia's 9 News.
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The surfer was identified as Kai McKenzie, per 9 News. Doctors hope to reattach his leg, which was transported to the hospital in a polystyrene box after it washed ashore, according to the outlet.
It's still unclear whether McKenzie's leg can be reattached, and he will need to have several surgeries as a result of the shark attack.
A GoFundMe page provided more details about what happened to McKenzie. "He saw the shark approach and was able to fight it off but suffered a severed right leg," the GoFundMe page stated. "Clinging to life, he was able to catch a wave back to the beach."
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development confirmed that a great white shark bit McKenzie, per 9 News.
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Gary Searle, who runs a shop in the area where the shark attack occurred, told ABC Australia that the location is a fairly popular swimming spot. "I was a bit horrified," he told the outlet. "A lot of people swim around here."
The beaches in the area were closed for at least 24 hours, according to the outlet.
McKenzie had reportedly just recently returned to surfing after fracturing his neck in the mosh pit at a concert.
