A windsurfer has escaped unharmed after a frightening encounter with a suspected great white shark at one of Australia’s most popular surf spots, in the Margaret River region. Andy McDonald, 61, was bitten by his board, but managed to save himself by punching back and quickly getting out of the water.
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The accident happened at around 5:45pm (local time) on Monday at the Pompeii surf spot. MacDonald was training with a group on a hoverboard — equipped with a wing that allows it to glide over the water — when he fell and saw the animal approaching. The camera recorded the attack.
– I fell on top of him… and started punching him – said the surfer in a video published by the local newspaper Augusta Margaret River Mail. – So I had a sail and I jumped on it just to get out of the water. Then I started screaming for help.
His friend, known only as Mato, paddled to him and helped him back to shore. The ride to the sand took about 15 minutes. Despite the fright, MacDonald emerged unharmed, but a large piece broke off from his board.
– I’m fine, I survived to tell the tale – joked the surfer who lives in Melbourne. -I don’t think I’ll sleep for a week.
A case reminiscent of Mick Fanning 10 years ago
It was October 2015 when three-time world surfing champion Mick Fanning was surprised by a great white shark during the final leg of the Jeffreys Bay stage, in South Africa. On live television, he saw part of the rope on his board being pulled and reacted with a punch – an image that shocked the world and became one of the most iconic moments in sports history.
After that scare, Fanning continued to compete for three more seasons, but knew he needed to rethink his path. In an interview with CEO Magazine, he stated that the episode was “a catalyst for thinking about ‘My Life After Surfing'”. The ocean, his place of healing, also became the final sign that it was time to seek new horizons.
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