Man survives shark attack - surf ski doesn't

AP

A surf lifesaver has survived a great white shark attack at one of Perth's northern beaches in Australia.

Martin Kane, 62, was leading a group of five on surf skis in the water south of Mullaloo beach when he was rammed by a shark, which he believes to have been a great white, and flung into the water.

The group, who were about 150 metres offshore, had just seen a pod of dolphins and, at first, Mr Kane thought that's what it was.

He told ABC News: "I seriously thought it was a row of dolphins smashing into the ski.

"What really confused me was the extent of the noise and the crunching sound, it really surprised me, I really didn't know what it was until I saw the fin and realised it was a shark."

Mr Kane says he did not think he would survive.

"Soon as I saw his tail and thrashing around with the ski coming right out of the water, I said it's time to get out of here so in defiance I threw my paddle at him and started to swim away," he said.

"At that moment I thought I was gone."

But one of his friends picked him up out of the water and swam him back to shore.

Surf Lifesaving WA's Paul Andrew described it as a forceful attack, saying: "The paddler leading the group was attacked by a shark which hit with great force sending him flying into the air.

"The shark had a go at the ski and his comrades in arms came and picked him up and took him back to shore.

"The guy that actually picked the person [being attacked] out of the water paddled past the shark to go and pick his mate up.

"It's an extremely brave act to firstly paddle past a shark of that size and pick his mate up, so his act of braveness is courageous, there's no other way to put it."

Mr Kane said he felt "very lucky to be here, very lucky to be able to see my grandkids again".

The Fisheries Department is searching for the shark and said it will be tagged if found.

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