A terrifying encounter at Cabarita Beach in northern New South Wales, Australia, saw a 16-year-old surfer viciously mauled by a shark, only to be pursued by the predator as rescuers rushed him to safety, the New York Post reports.

Emergency services were called to the popular beach just before 4PM on Sunday following reports of a serious shark attack.

The nearly seven-foot predator, believed to be a bull shark, launched a brutal assault on the teen, causing severe injuries to his leg, hand, and arm. Reports say one of his arms was left hanging on by a shred of sinew, per News.com.au.

Dramatic footage from the scene captured the horrifying aftermath. Fellow beachgoers are seen hauling the boy out of the water while the shark’s massive dorsal fin cuts through the surf just behind them. Shouts and screams can be heard as chaos unfolds on the shoreline.

In the video, one frightened onlooker can be heard exclaiming: "Oh my God, that's the shark."

Another voice adds: "Oh f**! That's really scary!"*

Despite the danger, rescuers continued to carry the boy out of the water, using a surfboard as an improvised stretcher.

Fortunately, an off-duty paramedic was nearby and quickly stepped in, applying a tourniquet to stem the heavy bleeding.

One of the brave beachgoers who ran to help after hearing the teen’s screams was 39-year-old Brazilian surfer Thiago Collel.

Recalling the ordeal, he told Daily Mail: "When I got to the shore, he had been dragged in by a group of people including an off-duty paramedic who happened to be walking on the beach at the time.

"His bicep was destroyed - you could see all the muscle, flesh and bone.

"He lost a scary amount of blood. I was covered in it."

Collel said the group worked together to keep the boy calm while waiting for emergency services. "We were just trying to keep him calm, holding his head and making sure he was okay.

"I just kept talking to him and he told me how he fought off the shark by kicking and punching it away."

The teen was eventually airlifted by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter to Gold Coast University Hospital, where he remains in serious but stable condition, per Stab Mag.

A second helicopter was dispatched in an effort to locate the shark but was unsuccessful.

While the exact species of shark hasn’t been confirmed, many locals believe it was a bull shark. Some have raised concerns it could have been a two-metre-long great white.

Featured image credit: Ullstein bild / Getty Images.

A surfer had a miraculous escape after a shark attempted to take a bite out of him - and the whole thing was caught on camera.

In Australia, a surfer narrowly escaped a great white attack at Cabarita Beach in New South Wales on Monday morning, per the Sun.

Brad Ross was catching waves when a 13-foot shark lunged at him. Dramatic footage shared on social media shows Brad thrashing in the water before disappearing beneath the surface — only to resurface moments later and scramble to safety.

While Brad walked away unscathed, his surfboard told a different story. A massive chunk had been bitten clean out, and the shark’s jaws were powerful enough to snap the board in half.

Onlookers were left stunned as Brad displayed the damage onshore. Surf Life Saving NSW confirmed the incident, saying: “Just after 8am this morning the Surf Life Saving NSW State Operations Centre was alerted to an incident at the unpatrolled Cabarita Beach which was called in through Triple 0. The surfer is unharmed.

"Australian Lifeguard Service lifeguards were tasked and immediately worked with Council to close the beach and put up signage to warn the public not to enter the water.”

Authorities deployed aerial patrols to search for the shark following the attack.

Cabarita Beach has seen trouble before — just two months earlier, a 16-year-old boy suffered serious injuries after being bitten by a shark in the same waters.

In another story on Sunday afternoon, a 63-year-old American man was spearfishing near Big Grand Cay in the Abaco Islands when a shark attacked, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force. The incident happened shortly after 1:00PM, per the New York Post.

The victim, whose name has not yet been released, was pulled from the water with “severe injuries,” rushed to a local clinic, and later airlifted to the U.S. for further treatment. 

His current condition remains unknown.

Police confirmed the attack in a statement: “Initial reports suggest that a 63-year-old resident of the USA was spearfishing when he was attacked by a shark, sustaining severe injuries. He was taken to the local clinic for medical assistance before being airlifted to the United States for additional treatment.”

Spearfishing is a popular recreational activity in the Bahamas, but the waters are also known as a hotspot for shark encounters. 

According to the International Shark Attack File, there have been 34 confirmed attacks there over the past 400 years — placing the Bahamas ninth globally for such incidents.

The latest attack follows a string of recent warnings. 

In March, amid a spate of violent crime and multiple shark incidents, the U.S. State Department reissued a travel advisory for the Bahamas, cautioning travelers to “exercise increased caution” and specifically warning: “Stay alert for sharks. Shark attacks have led to serious injuries and death.”

Featured image credit: Mark Chivers / Getty

UPDATE: Following the tragic news that a 16-year-old girl had died following a shark attack in Australia, witnesses are now praising a "hero" who attempted to save her.

Per the Daily Mail, witnesses have hailed the actions of a man who bravely jumped into the Swan River in an attempt to save the teen in distress.

Police were informed that the man successfully pulled the teenager out of the water after she was mauled by what is now believed to be a bull shark.

Sadly, paramedics were unable to save her.

Locals say screams were heard before the "hero" jumped into the river. Witnesses add that the teenager's family and friends were in shock as they walked along the side of the river after the man pulled the girl out.

The Daily Mail adds that the teenager succumbed to what has been described as "severe leg injuries".

ORIGINAL: A teenager has tragically died after being attacked by a shark while swimming in an Australian river.

The 16-year-old - who has not yet officially been named - was pronounced dead on Saturday (February 4) after she was pulled from the Swan River, which is located in the Perth suburb of Fremantle, Western Australia.

As reported by BBC News, Fremantle District Acting Inspector Paul Robinson from the Western Australia Police has revealed that the teen had been riding jet skis with a group of friends prior to the "very, very traumatic" attack occurring.

"It's an extremely traumatic event for everyone involved and everyone who knew the young girl, so I won't be going into the extent of the injuries," Robinson said.

Robinson added that it is possible the girl had jumped into the water in an attempt to swim with a pod of dolphins that were nearby.

Western Australia Police were then alerted to the incident at around 3:30PM, leading to emergency services rushing to the scene.

The girl's family has been left "absolutely devastated by the news", as people in the area have been warned to take "additional caution" and respect the subsequent beach closures.

The Daily Mail has reported that the girl's death is the first fatal shark attack in the Swan River in more than a century - with the last reported death being that of a 13-year-old boy back in January 1923.

Robinson did address about the rarity of shark attacks during his statements to the press, saying: "It is unusual for a shark to be that far down the river [...] at this point in time an alert has been put out, a shark warning just to let people know this incident has taken place."

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development confirmed on Saturday that it is investigating a "possible shark bite" incident, per the Daily Mail, with a spokesperson adding: "DPIRD is working with local authorities and further information will be provided as it becomes available."

In 2021, two fatal shark attacks were reported in Australia - this was down from seven in 2020.

Our thoughts go out to the teen's family, loved ones, and anybody else affected by this tragic incident.

Featured image credit: ABC

A teenager tragically lost his life after being attacked by a shark as his helpless dad watched the horrific ordeal occur.

Khai Cowley, a 15-year-old talented young surfer lost his life in the horrifying shark attack while enjoying the waves at Ethel Beach, located approximately 160 kilometers west of Adelaide on the Yorke Peninsula.

South Australia Police were alerted to the attack around 1:30PM local time, responding swiftly to the distressing situation.

Despite the immediate response, medics on the scene confirmed the tragic outcome, stating that the young surfer had succumbed to the injuries inflicted by the shark.

Eyewitnesses at Ethel Beach shared harrowing details of the incident with the Adelaide Advertiser. According to a bystander, the teen and his father were enjoying a surfing session when the predator struck, snatching the boy's leg.

"A local guy rushed out, grabbed his board, and paddled towards them," the witness recounted. "The shark circled as the man pulled the boy out of the water. There was a significant amount of blood. He managed to bring him to shore, but sadly, it seemed too late."

Speaking to 9News, surfer Luke Winter said: "I don't know what to make of it. I was pretty rattled last night; it's too close to home, really."

The recently awarded "outstanding grom" by the Southern Adelaide Surf Club, Khai, belonged to a surfing legacy, being the third generation of his family to be a member.

The Seaview Road Board Riders, profoundly affected by his untimely death, expressed their disbelief in a statement, remembering Khai as a standout figure who brought joy to younger surfers.

"Khai was a standout. He helped the little groms, made their trainings fun, and they all looked up to him," the statement read. "You will live on in our hearts and memories, once a Roader, always a Roader. We will all miss you so much and will keep shredding for you."

Ethel Beach, known for its challenging waves, especially Ethel's Ledge, is considered one of the best spots in the state on a good surf day.

"It wasn't very good yesterday," shared local Sean Hanna. "It was basically white water surf, but his love was such that he wanted to be part of that."

Understanding this profound love, the surfing community has rallied around Khai's family, offering support. A fundraiser launched after the tragedy quickly surpassed its target, reflecting the widespread compassion and grief.

Khai's passing marks the third surfer lost to a shark attack off South Australia in less than a year.

Featured image credit: Ken Kiefer 2/Getty

A teenager who was involved in a shark attack has blasted bystanders that were standing around filming the horrific incident.

On March 6, Kaylanne Timoteo Freitas from Brazil was involved in an attack on Piedade Beach in Jaboatao dos Guararapes that saw her lose her arm. As per the Independent, the 15-year-old was swimming just off the beach when a shark latched onto her stomach. As she tried to fight off the creature, it bit her again, tearing her arm off near her left elbow.

According to The Daily Star, Freitas described the ordeal as a "nightmare."

"At the time, I thought someone was playing a prank on me because there were many people around me," she told local news outlets. "I still had doubts. I thought, 'this isn’t happening to me. It’s a nightmare.' I thought I was going to wake up. It was only in the ambulance that it sunk in."

Freitas recalled that a young man had helped her by dragging her back onto the beach before calling emergency services. The teen was left screaming in agony and upon seeing all the blood, she started panicking.

Despite her struggle, it seems as though some bystanders had absolutely no sympathy for her situation and instead, they pulled out their phones to take videos and pictures of her bleeding arm.

"No one respected me at the time," she said. "I understand that it’s something that everyone wants to record, to show what’s happening. But at the time, I wasn’t thinking about that. I just thought I was going to lose my arm for the rest of my life."

Her father expressed similar disgust with the public's reaction to his daughter's injury.

"During the attack, there were people filming instead of helping, aside from the comments. That’s what killed me inside," he said.

Freitas has since undergone surgery after losing her arm and is still battling excruciating pain as well as nightmares of the attack.

"For 15 years of my life, I had my entire arm," she said. "I’ve been reborn and will have to relearn everything all over again."

The news comes just a day after a similar incident occurred just 500 meters away from where Freitas was injured.

As per The Sun, 24 hours before her attack, a 14-year-old boy was swimming approximately 1,600 feet from where Freitas would later lose her arm. He was also bitten by a shark, leaving him with injuries that forced local medical staff to amputate his right leg.

Marcelo Alves, a paramedic who responds to emergency calls, told local media beachgoers have been warned not to swim in the water.

"The team is already alert about these events that have been happening. Unfortunately, there is a law that says that swimming is not allowed, but people insist on going into the sea," he added.

Featured Image Credit: Marks Maksimovs / Alamy

Just when we all thought it was safe to go back in the water...

A surfer has narrowly escaped death after being bitten by a shark when attacked at an Australian beach. The 23-year-old French tourist was able to survive the attack after punching the shark in the face.

Dylan Nacass was lucky to be left with only minor lacerations to his leg after surfing at the Bell's Beach spot in Torquay, Victoria on Friday.

Heart-stopping footage shows the backpacker screaming for help and kicking his legs while lying on his surfboard.

You can see the close encounter in the news report below:

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After hearing his cries for help, Matthew Sedunary - a local of the area - paddled out to meet Nacass, and can be seen alongside him in the video.

The shark can then be seen surfacing behind the pair as they desperately paddled back towards the shore.

Speaking to Nine News, Sedunary said he didn't realize just how serious the situation was when he first heard Nacass shouting for help. He said: "At first I just thought he was having a laugh with his mates... Then I saw the fin."

Nacass revealed that after being bitten on the leg, he was able to land two punches on the shark's face, enabling him to escape. He said: "I punched him one time, he stays in my legs. Two times, after, he go."

Speaking to the Geelong Advertiser, Nacass also revealed that he doesn't plan on letting the experience stop his love for surfing, and revealed: "In one week, when my leg is okay, I will go surfing at the same spot.

"I fight with him and it's OK, I'm alive. Everything is good.

"I have my legs most importantly."

Related - A spearfisherman survives a close encounter with a great white shark:

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Sedunary added that he never realized just how close the shark had been until he watched the footage back, saying:

"When we're paddling in and you can see the shark behind I didn't know it was still there. It was tempting to go straight back out because it was pretty decent.

"But glad I didn't because it hung around and bumped another guy."

The video was captured by another local who had been recording a friend surfing, but turned his camera when he heard the Nacass' cries for help.