NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA – In a chilling incident, an Australian surfer was attacked by a great white shark off the coast of New South Wales. The 23-year-old, Kai McKenzie, was seen in a video clip making a desperate attempt to reach the shore, moments before the shark struck, tearing off his leg.
The video, which has since been widely circulated, shows a large gray fin emerging from the water just behind McKenzie’s surfboard. The shark, estimated to be around 10 feet in length, bit into McKenzie’s board and tore off his right leg, which was later found washed up on the beach.
Despite the terrifying encounter, McKenzie managed to fend off the shark and catch a wave back to the shore. An off-duty police officer, who happened to be at the scene, used a dog leash to create an impromptu tourniquet around McKenzie’s severely injured limb.
The attack occurred on July 23 near Port Macquarie. Shortly after the incident, locals found McKenzie’s severed leg and put it on ice. It was then rushed to the trauma center where McKenzie was being treated, in hopes that surgeons could possibly reattach it.
However, a subsequent Instagram post by McKenzie, showing his right leg amputated above the knee, indicated that reattachment was not feasible. In the post, McKenzie expressed gratitude for the support he had received and vowed to return to the water soon, despite the significant setback.
Prior to the shark attack, McKenzie, a sponsored athlete, had just resumed surfing after a period of recovery from a neck injury. In the wake of the incident, a GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help cover his medical expenses. The campaign has already garnered over $114,000 in donations.