11/25/2005 Tom Burke (Australia)
Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 1:38 pm
Surfer mauled by huge shark
From: By Kevin Healey
November 27, 2005
A TEENAGE surfer has told how he desperately fought to escape a shark which bit his leg in a terrifying attack off the Victorian coast.
Tom Burke, 18, furiously punched and kicked the predator after it attacked him while surfing off Flinders, in Western Port Bay, on Friday evening.
He then paddled back to shore, scared the shark would come after him and too fearful to look at his wounded leg, believing it may have been bitten off.
The mauling follows a spate of shark attacks off the South Australian and West Australian coasts and an attack on a surfer earlier this year at Sydney's Bronte beach.
Recovering at his Mornington home yesterday, Mr Burke described how the beast, believed to be a 1.8m bronze whaler, repeatedly tried to grab him.
The apprentice carpenter said he was lying on his surfboard waiting for a wave when the shark struck about 6.15pm.
"I just started feeling really weird, then I saw a big black thing come up. I just got ripped off the board," Mr Burke said.
"I punched it as hard as I could, then I started kicking (it).
"I didn't really have a clue what was going on, it was surreal."
Nearby surfers came to his aid, gathering everyone in the water together and helping Mr Burke back to shore.
He has vowed never to surf again.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,17 ... 43,00.html
From: By Kevin Healey
November 27, 2005
A TEENAGE surfer has told how he desperately fought to escape a shark which bit his leg in a terrifying attack off the Victorian coast.
Tom Burke, 18, furiously punched and kicked the predator after it attacked him while surfing off Flinders, in Western Port Bay, on Friday evening.
He then paddled back to shore, scared the shark would come after him and too fearful to look at his wounded leg, believing it may have been bitten off.
The mauling follows a spate of shark attacks off the South Australian and West Australian coasts and an attack on a surfer earlier this year at Sydney's Bronte beach.
Recovering at his Mornington home yesterday, Mr Burke described how the beast, believed to be a 1.8m bronze whaler, repeatedly tried to grab him.
The apprentice carpenter said he was lying on his surfboard waiting for a wave when the shark struck about 6.15pm.
"I just started feeling really weird, then I saw a big black thing come up. I just got ripped off the board," Mr Burke said.
"I punched it as hard as I could, then I started kicking (it).
"I didn't really have a clue what was going on, it was surreal."
Nearby surfers came to his aid, gathering everyone in the water together and helping Mr Burke back to shore.
He has vowed never to surf again.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,17 ... 43,00.html