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A surfer has been hospitalized with “non-life threatening” injuries after a shark attacked him off the coast of eastern Australia.
Jabez Reitman, 35, had been surfing off Seven Mile Beach near Byron Bay when a shark, believed to be about 2m (6.5ft), pounced on him at about 6.45am.
The father of one suffered wounds to his back and buttocks, but was able to drive himself to Byron Bay Hospital after the attack, police said.
He was transferred to Gold Coast University Hospital for surgery and was described as being in a stable condition.
Speaking to reporters afterwards, he said he initially thought he had encountered a dolphin – until he realised how bad his injuries were.
He said he had been “a bit freaked out” but tried to be “cool, calm and collected”.
Mr Reitman, who works as a chef, is a regular surfer in the area but said he “should have stayed in bed” instead of going surfing that morning.
Byron Bay is a renowned surfing location near Cape Byron, the most easterly point of the Australian mainland 500 miles (800km) north of Sydney.
A 50-year-old British expat, Paul Wilcox, was killed by a shark in front of his wife at Byron Bay in September.
Although sharks are common off Australia’s coast, the country has averaged fewer than two fatal attacks per year in recent decades.
Agencies/Canadajournal
